Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DownBeat April 2012 Volume 79 Number 4
DownBeat April 2012 Volume 79 Number 4
DownBeat
Robert Glasper // Wes Montgomery // Wadada Leo Smith // Orbert Davis // Brass SchoolAPRIL 2012
SLAP
Robert Glasper’s
Jazz Wake-Up Call
Orbert Davis’ Mission
David Hazeltine
Blindfold Test
Brass School
»» Wynton Marsalis
Transcription
APRIL 2012 U.K. £3.50
»» Wayne Wallace
Master class
»» Kirk Garrison
Pro Session
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APRIL 2012
Volume 79 – Number 4
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Contributors
Senior Contributors:
Michael Bourne, John McDonough
Atlanta: Jon Ross; Austin: Michael Point, Kevin Whitehead; Boston: Fred
Bouchard, Frank-John Hadley; Chicago: John Corbett, Alain Drouot, Michael
Jackson, Peter Margasak, Bill Meyer, Mitch Myers, Paul Natkin, Howard Reich;
Denver: Norman Provizer; Indiana: Mark Sheldon; Iowa: Will Smith; Los Angeles:
Earl Gibson, Todd Jenkins, Kirk Silsbee, Chris Walker, Joe Woodard; Michigan:
John Ephland; Minneapolis: Robin James; Nashville: Bob Doerschuk; New Or-
leans: Erika Goldring, David Kunian, Jennifer Odell; New York: Alan Bergman,
Herb Boyd, Bill Douthart, Ira Gitler, Eugene Gologursky, Norm Harris, D.D. Jackson,
Jimmy Katz, Jim Macnie, Ken Micallef, Dan Ouellette, Ted Panken, Richard Seidel,
Tom Staudter, Jack Vartoogian, Michael Weintrob; North Carolina: Robin Tolleson;
Philadelphia: David Adler, Shaun Brady, Eric Fine; San Francisco: Mars Breslow,
Forrest Bryant, Clayton Call, Yoshi Kato; Seattle: Paul de Barros; Tampa Bay:
Philip Booth; Washington, D.C.: Willard Jenkins, John Murph, Michael Wilderman;
Belgium: Jos Knaepen; Canada: Greg Buium, James Hale, Diane Moon; Den-
mark: Jan Persson; France: Jean Szlamowicz; Germany: Detlev Schilke, Hyou
Vielz; Great Britain: Brian Priestley; Japan: Kiyoshi Koyama; Portugal: Antonio
Rubio; Romania: Virgil Mihaiu; Russia: Cyril Moshkow; South Africa: Don Albert.
Á
APRIL 2012
On the Cover
26
26 Robert Glasper’s
Big Experiment
By shaun Brady
Features
32 Wes Montgomery
Back Home on
Indiana Avenue
By aaron cohen
53 Corea/Gomez/Motian 56 Paul McCartney 57 Jack DeJohnette 69 Gregory Porter
Mark sheldon
Indy Music
I
ndianapolis has been overlooked as a music center for far too long.
That might change now, thanks in part to the Super Bowl. Indiana’s
musically rich capital city proudly hosted this year’s Super Bowl.
And a great deal of preparation was required. Indy—like any city that
hosts a major sporting event or global conference these days—embarked
upon civic improvement and beautification projects to spruce things up
for the thousands of tourists who came to town for the big game (not to
mention the millions who watched it on TV).
One such project is 46 for XLVI, a murals program that is a partner-
ship between the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the City of
Indianapolis. Of particular interest to DownBeat readers is artist Pamela
Bliss’ Indiana Avenue Jazz Masters. This mural depicts the young trom-
bonist (and future educator) David Baker—who turned 80 on Dec. 21—
and three iconic DownBeat Hall of Fame artists who are no longer with
us: trombonist J.J. Johnson, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and guitarist
Wes Montgomery. When Bliss was designing the mural, she referred
to vintage photos taken by Indianapolis jazz documentarian Duncan
Schiedt. Bliss’ stunning mural is on the side of the Musicians’ Repair
& Sales building at 322 N. Capitol Ave. (DownBeat thanks contributor
Mark Sheldon for telling us about the series of 46 murals, and for pro-
viding the photo that illustrates this column.)
The title of Bliss’ mural nods to the same historic music district that
is referenced in the title of a new Wes Montgomery album, Echoes Of
Indiana Avenue, which is a collection of previously unreleased record-
ings issued by Resonance. This album celebrates the guitar virtuosity
that was present even during Montgomery’s early years, and it shines
a spotlight on a city whose musical legacy deserves wider recognition.
The beautiful packaging of the Echoes CD (also available as a double
LP) includes 16 vintage photos, including works by Schiedt and fam-
ily snapshots provided by Ann Montgomery. Some of those images
illustrate our feature on the legendary guitarist (see page 32). Our arti-
cle includes insightful interviews with Baker, record producer Michael
Cuscuna and guitarist Pat Martino—all of whom contributed fascinat-
ing essays to the liner notes for Echoes.
Montgomery died in 1968, but his shadow continues to loom over a
diverse array of guitarists. Two examples are in this issue of DownBeat:
guitarist Rez Abbasi (page 23) and the trio New West Guitar Group
(page 25). These two acts play very different styles of music, but both
cite Montgomery as a key influence.
Our cover story is an eyebrow-raising interview with the captivating,
outspoken pianist Robert Glasper. Plus, we’ve got tons of love for trum-
pets and trombones in this annual Brass School issue, featuring Ishmael
Wadada Leo Smith, Orbert Davis, Wayne Wallace, Kirk Garrison,
Daniel Rosenthal, a Wynton Marsalis transcription and more.
So whether you’re into brass, guitars or keyboards, we know you’ll
find something memorable in this issue. Thanks for your support, and
please keep on reading. DB
Henderson’s Influence
As a fairly regular subscriber since the late ’50s, Jazz DJ Research
I wish that old habits would subside and eventu- To assist with a research project on jazz radio,
ally disappear—but no such luck. I'm referring I’m currently seeking information, particularly
to the tendency of critics to pick out darlings, broadcast airchecks, of classic jazz disc jockeys
which is to the detriment of other worthy players. from around the country and the world. (In the
A case in point is in the Reviews section of your case of international DJs, English speakers,
March issue: the 3-star rating by critic Shaun such as Willis Conover, are preferred). Ex-
Brady for Melissa Aldana’s Free Fall. Brady’s amples of classic jazz DJs include such masters
typical comparisons to Trane and Newk seem to as Oscar Treadwell, Mort Fega, Sid McCoy,
shout that this scribe cannot hear Aldana’s most Ed Beach, Chuck Niles, Holmes “Daddy-O”
obvious influence, which is Joe Henderson. Daylie, Billy Taylor, Al “Jazzbeaux” Collins, Harry
While critics fawn over Grace Kelly and Anat Abraham, Symphony Sid, Yvonne Daniels and
Cohen, they give short shrift to such richly tal- Rick Holmes. I’m also interested in unsung
ented players as Aldana and Sharel Cassity (just voices from your community’s history whom
to name two). However, it was nice to see that you consider “classic” representatives of the
a true, hardcore jazz album slipped in among all genre. If you have any printed information (such
the other genres DownBeat covers these days. as playlists, newsletters, articles, etc.) and/or
Larry Hollis broadcast airchecks that you might be interested
lhollis5@cox.net in sharing—I’ll pay for copies where necessary—
Editor’s Note: Sharel Cassity was profiled in please contact me at the email address below.
our June 2010 issue. Her saxophone work Willard Jenkins
was dazzling at the Vandoren VandoJam afrhy2649@gmail.com
The
Inside
14 I Riffs
16 I European Scene
18 I Jazz Cruise
19 I Soul Rebels
20 I Chucho Valdés
22 I Players
with Christian
C hristian McBride won’t be classified by genre. In September, he
released the big band album The Good Feeling (Mack Avenue),
which won a Grammy in the best large jazz ensemble album catego-
ry. In November, he put out a diverse collection of duets, Conversations
With Christian (Mack Avenue), on which McBride is billed alongside
both jazz mainstays and pop icons. And as the host of “The Lowdown:
Conversations With Christian” on Sirius/XM Radio’s Real Jazz channel,
McBride has conducted interviews with Roy Hargrove, Bill Charlap and
Angelique Kidjo. It’s hard to define the virtuosic bassist, and in a recent
conversation with DownBeat, McBride says he prefers to stay that way.
it. People say, “What’s it like working with Sting one day and Benny
Golson the next?” As long as you know both playbooks, you just go in
there and do what you’re supposed to do. [With] “Shake N’ Blake,” I just felt that the melody was such that if I
expanded it and blew it out, it would make sense as a big band tune. And
Are your conversations more about finding a common groove with “Science Fiction,” I actually didn’t know if that was going to work.
and synching up, or is it more of a contrapuntal back and forth? I always knew, even when I originally wrote it for my small group, that
It depends on who you’re working with. Take the Chick Corea duet, there was something bigger surrounding it. So for the big band version,
for example. We didn’t speak about anything beforehand. I told Chick, I wrote this new intro and put this middle section in. I tried to get into
“Let’s go make up something,” and Chick said, “Great!” I like those sit- my cinematic head.
uations where you have no idea what you’re going to do. That’s a lot dif-
ferent than playing with Hank Jones, who said, “Let’s play a standard the In the liner notes of The Good Feeling, you called “Broadway” a
standard way.” And that’s cool, too. So in terms of being the best musi- “natural habitat.” What is your natural habitat, musically?
cian you can possibly be, it’s a matter of learning as much as you possi- I tend to gravitate toward that sort of tempo. I told someone the other
bly can. Finding a common groove doesn’t necessarily mean a groove day that even when I’m not thinking about music, I tend to snap in that
in the musical sense. It’s just about finding more of a common ground. tempo [laughs]. That’s just my natural body rhythm. I just like music
that has a real hard, strong groove. It could be a swing, funk or Latin
What made you think that pieces like “Shake N’ Blake” and “Sci- groove. But as long as that pulse is really strong, I like it.
ence Fiction,” which were written for small combos, would work
as big band pieces? continued on page 21
Steve Sussman
Designed by Art Director Greg Breeding,
on upright and Burniss Travis on five-string
the Davis stamp is based on a 1970 black-
electric—ERIMAJ exuded the vibe of a laid-
and-white photo of Davis by David Gahr.
back hang. Most of the members played sit-
Artsy App: New York multidisciplinary arts
ting down, wearing flannels, hoodies and centrated on melodic work demonstrative of
institution Symphony Space has created other casual winter garb. Their sound was their Indo-Pakistani heritage.
a mobile app for iOS and Android that will also outwardly casual, unified by a stoned, Mostly Other People Do the Killing, the
stream hundreds of recorded performanc- mellow groove that masked the fierce fusion playful free-jazz quartet led by bassist Moppa
es at the venue. The free app has included of jazz with soul, r&b and hip-hop. However, Elliott, held court at Kenny’s Castaways on
concerts from Jenny Scheinman, Arturo Williams broke the mood with a thrilling- Saturday night. Suffused in a sense of inspired
O’Farrill with the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra yet-brief drum solo during the band’s per- glee, the set functioned on the interaction
and Leonard Bernstein. formance of its 2011 single, “Conflict Of between the band members and their rath-
A Man.” er elastic tension. The front line of tenor sax-
Composing Clinics: Ottawa JazzWorks With his specially formed Winter Jazz ophonist Jon Irabagon and pocket trumpet-
at CAMMAC Music Centre in Quebec has Fest Quartet, Rudresh Mahanthappa drew a er Peter Evans was oriented toward melody.
expanded its Composers’ Symposium to full house at Kenny’s Castaways on Friday Irabagon blew skewed-but-friendly angular
three- and five-day workshops. On Aug. evening—so full that venue staffers had to phrases on the chords, and Evans ornament-
14–19, instrumentalists and vocalists force spectators off the stairways near the ed the themes with flourishes and the odd sub-
can immerse themselves in composition stage. Known for his juxtaposition of Indian stitution. Tunes like “President Polk” easi-
and arranging workshops taught by John and jazz elements, Mahanthappa and his ly could have been played straight, but Elliott
Geggie, Dave Restivo, Frank Lozano, Jim band subserviated those techniques into and drummer Kevin Shea had none of it, turn-
Lewis and special guest Ted Nash.
full-on hard funk in a distillation of his cur- ing the set into a frantic workout. Shea, in
rent release, Samdhi (ACT). Tunes from particular, swung violently and made novel
Jodie’s Farewell: Pianist Jodie Christian
the album, in fact, constituted the bulk of rhythmic shifts on his hi-hat.
died on Feb. 13 at the age of 80. Christian,
a beloved Chicago figure whose career
Mahanthappa’s set. The center of a rhythmi- The event was a thoroughly postmodern
spanned more than 60 years, worked with cally aggressive matrix, Mahanthappa tended conception, one that could stand as a sym-
such artists as Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins to ride on the grooves in his improvisations, bol for the entire festival. One thing was
and Benny Carter. He also co-founded the rather than drive them. He left the pilot’s seat for sure: Major, minor or somewhere in
Association for the Advancement of Creative to bassist Rich Brown and drummer Rudy between, New York Winter Jazz Fest felt
Musicians in 1965. Royston as he and guitarist Rez Abbasi con- like the zeitgeist. —Michael J. West
Motomi Morii
was living in the Finnish coastal didn’t really know what I was doing.” playing together.”
town of Loviisa, where jazz had no As heard on last year’s superb Indeed, Innanen has a deep
presence. recording Clustrophy (TUM), In- pool of collaborators around the
“I was really the only one in- nanen’s best, most comprehensive world, including musicians from the
terested in this music when I was Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He vehicle is his band Innkvisitio with United States (a trio with bassist
young,” Innanen said. “It’s such a stayed at the school for nearly a drummer Joonas Riippa, synthe- Joe Fonda and drummer Lou Gras-
fertile age for discovering some- decade, earning both undergradu- sizer player Seppo Kantonen and si), Denmark (his old group Triot re-
thing.” He quickly began taking ate and graduate degrees. a revolving cast of guest reedists corded with John Tchicai) and more
private lessons from the leader of These days, Innanen leads (Germany’s Daniel Erdmann and (a great trio with Dutch drummer
a local winds ensemble. several discrete bands and plays as Sweden’s Fredrik Ljungkvist play on Han Bennink and Estonian guitarist
Innanen developed a deep a trusted sideman in several more, the latest record). The music richly Jaak Sooäär).
adoration for bebop and hard bop, from a group led by acclaimed runs the gamut from bebop to free- “About a decade ago, I felt
particularly the music of Charlie Finnish guitarist Kalle Kalima to the jazz. Innanen tosses in splashes of frustrated about trying to find my
Parker and early John Coltrane. Charles Mingus repertoire band Art Ensemble of Chicago collectiv- own sound or whatever you want
Within a couple of years, he knew Tonight at Noon. Whether he’s ism and post-Amsterdam humor to call it, but I realized there’s noth-
he wanted to be a professional engaging in formal experiments along the way, and the record is as ing you can do about it,” Innanen
musician. At the age of 14, he at- with contact microphones, making entertaining as it is serious. said. “All I can do is just to work on
tended a prominent Finnish sum- noisy solo recordings, playing free Innanen’s nonchalant range the music and play with different
mer jazz camp, where he studied improvisation—particularly in his and curiosity become more explicit people and try to stay true to what
with mentor Jukka Perko. Even be- duo with drummer Mika Kallio—or the deeper one digs into his volu- I like and what I don’t like so much.
fore finishing high school, Innanen delivering buoyant free-bop in his minous discography, but he said it Things just happen, and I kind of
began to study at the prestigious Finnish-Danish collective Delirium, isn’t calculated. like that.” DB
Rhonda Lane
Caught Claytons, Igoe Navigate
Jazz Cruise Jam Sessions
T his year’s edition of The Jazz Cruise,
which took place from Jan. 29–Feb. 5,
started with a look to the past. An hour after
hi-hat in hand, performed a raucous version
of “Salt Peanuts.” This performance was the
comedic highlight of the cruise.
setting sail from Florida aboard the Holland Throughout the week, the Clayton
America Westerdam, pianist Shelly Berg Brothers Quintet performed with energet-
welcomed eager passengers into the spa- ic abandon, whether in the small club quar-
cious Vista Lounge, one of four venues of ters of the Queen’s Lounge or swaying atop
varying sizes that would be used through- rough seas in the Crow’s Nest on the 11th
out the voyage. Joined by a revolving cast of deck. Trumpeter Terell Stafford, who also
horn players, Berg ran through an aural tour sat in with the big band, never held back,
of movie standards. The retiree-heavy audi- blowing with all his might on nearly every
ence responded to the nostalgic romp with solo, and Jeff Clayton matched his intensity
enthusiastic applause. on alto saxophone.
Aside from the opening show, much of Drummer Tommy Igoe’s sextet, a dis-
the cruise stayed current, with many of the tillation of the big band he leads at
15 featured ensembles performing origi- Birdland in New York, proved to be the
nal compositions. A 30-musician cast of all- sleeper pick in a cruise full of renowned
stars—artists who were placed in different names. If the artists on the Jazz Cruise
configurations for jam sessions—and big- had an overall sound, Igoe’s configuration
band musicians brought the number of pro- was definitely far from center. Propelled
fessionals on board to more than 90. Every by Latin and world rhythms, saxophon-
artist played four two-set shows, usually ist Nathan Childers and trumpeter Nick
with their own groups, but occasionally in Marchione navigated fragmented mel-
new settings. Kurt Elling, Anne Hampton- odies in the upper range of their instru-
Callaway and John Pizzarelli each took time ments. Their solos were tinged with the
away from their combos to hook up with the avant garde.
big band during nightly showcase concerts. The Jazz Cruise, which included
Some of the more interesting pairings Aruba, Curaçao and Half Moon Cay as
occurred in shows with such names as ports of call, provided a staggering amount
“Keyboard Capers,” which featured a cross- of music—a setup definitely not for the
section of the pianists. Emmet Cohen, a casual fan. On the first night of the festivi-
recent Monk Institute International Jazz ties, one third-year cruiser said that attend-
Piano competitor from the University of ees are so passionate about jazz that if the
Miami, and pianist Gerald Clayton teamed boat journeyed only a few miles off the
up for an impressionistic, haunting piece. coast of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., set anchor,
In a separate recital, pianists Bill Charlap and then came back a week later, nobody
and Renee Rosnes created achingly beauti- would care.
ful and technically impressive duets. At the By mid-week, many of them had
week’s closing jam session, a large handful already taken the time to reserve a cabin for
of drummers, each with a snare, tom-tom or next year’s voyage. —Jon Ross
Daniel Rosenthal
Rural-Urban Mix
D aniel Rosenthal’s Lines is not a typical
debut by a trumpeter in his 20s. For one
thing, there’s little emphasis on speed for
speed’s sake; chops generally play a subordi-
nate role to the compositions. The album’s title
comes from the horizontal nature of his tunes:
He writes strong melodic lines, even if they
come with odd meters, odd intervals and odd
numbers of bars. The striking title track, for
example, contains five different themes, which
are 29, 22, 18, 14 and 14 measures long. And
yet each of those themes is not only melodical-
ly striking but also emotionally focused.
“I just sat at the piano writing that tune,”
the 29-year-old member of the Either/Orchestra
says, “and let it go as far as it needed until it
reached a natural conclusion. Most of the time
when I’m writing, I’m not making it a certain
number of measures. I keep writing until I go,
‘Oh, that’s the end of the tune.’ I let it surprise
me. It’s like a story: If you cut it off too soon,
it’s not going to make sense. You know when
enough has been said.”
To make it easier for these lines to go wher-
David Leifer
ever they wanted, he composed the tunes for
a piano-less, guitar-less quartet—also some-
what atypical for a brass player’s debut. On however, Daniel grew up amid bluegrass and both father and son, as well as some tradition-
Lines, the trumpeter is joined by alto saxophon- old-time music. In the late ’70s and early ’80s, al tunes and trumpet/banjo instrumental duets.
ist Rick Stone, bassist Kendall Eddy and drum- Phil was a singer and guitarist for the popular The album will be released, as was Lines, by
mer Austin McMahon. Sometimes the two horn bluegrass band the Seldom Scene, and he still Phil’s long-standing label, American Melody.
players pursue parallel lines; sometimes they plays banjo, mandolin and acoustic guitar. Whether Daniel is leading his own Boston-
offer counterpointed lines; and occasionally one Daniel was born in the Maryland suburbs of based jazz quartet or joining the Either/Orchestra
is comping while the other solos. But with their Washington, where the Seldom Scene was in backing up Ethiopian legend Mulatu Astatke
horizontal thrust, the single-note lines define the based. When he was 5, his father left that group to explore Caribbean sounds, the trumpet-
changes, rather than the other way around. and moved back to Guilford, Conn. The fami- er’s tone retains a folkloric feel that echoes his
“I like the freedom without the piano or gui- ly lived in the woods down a dead-end road— upbringing. With his patient, rounded phrasing,
tar,” explains Daniel, whose father, Phil, is also a perfect setting for the string-band music Daniel is part of a generation of players follow-
a musician. “The horn is more in charge of the Phil played around the house. Daniel’s moth- ing the trail blazed by producer Manfred Eicher,
melodic direction and the harmonic direction. er played upright bass, and his sister sang and whose ECM Records has proven that jazz can be
I’ve always loved the Ornette Coleman Quartet, played acoustic guitar. As a child, he took piano equally powerful with the open, organic sounds
the Gerry Mulligan-Chet Baker Quartet and the lessons with little enthusiasm. But when a guest of a pastoral setting—rather than the urban vibe
Steve Lacy Trio. It’s fun to fill in those chords musician demonstrated the trumpet at Daniel’s and jittery syncopation that have been part of the
with another horn player when there’s no piano. school, the 10-year-old boy was captivated. genre’s sounds since its origins.
I was taking lessons with Steve Lacy at the New “When he came home and said, ‘I want to “I like that ECM sound; it’s a direction I’m
England Conservatory, and for a whole year we play the trumpet,’ we were surprised,” Phil pursuing,” Daniel says. “It’s a blending of jazz
would spend the last hour of the lesson playing confesses. “I said, ‘Really? The trumpet?’ I had with a folk sensibility, which reflects my own
Monk tunes with just bass and drums.” (Lines visions of him playing the dobro in the fam- background. Hard-driving jazz is great, but
includes interpretations of the Thelonious Monk ily band. But once we recovered, we encour- there are other streams that are also viable.
compositions “Reflections” and “Skippy.”) aged him. My wife found out about a commu- Growing up in the countryside changes how
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of this nity jazz band and signed him up for that. He you hear music. I played a lot with my father
debut is the presence on four tracks of banjo- formed his own band at [age] 13 and started get- and his friends, and his friends would yell at
ist Wes Corbett from the string band Joy Kills ting gigs. I bought him a Louis Armstrong CD me, ‘Play the melody, play more simply.’ That
Sorrow. Though Daniel’s first jazz hero, Louis because I thought that would be a good place seeped into my sensibility. Ironically, at the
Armstrong, played with banjoist Johnny St. to start. He obsessed about that and educated NEC, Steve Lacy and Bob Brookmeyer were
Cyr on the Hot Five sides, one doesn’t expect himself—and educated us in the process.” always after me to streamline my playing, to
a Steve Lacy protégé to be trading licks with Daniel and Phil are working on a duo say more with fewer notes, which is pretty
a banjo player. Thanks to his father’s career, album that will incorporate compositions from much the same thing.” —Geoffrey Himes
Fabian Almazan
Promoting Individuality
H is quiet demeanor betrays him. Sitting
across from 27-year-old pianist Fabian
Almazan, you’d think this soft-spoken New
Likewise, for the young pianist, identity
respects no borders. “People may come from
a certain country, but we’re all individuals,” he
Yorker was all composure. The modest sense of says. “I’ve had a lot of pressure from people to
home he’s created in his upstairs Harlem flat sug- be a Cuban pianist, to play in a certain way. I
gests an uncomplicated, straightforward life. don’t see the point of somebody pretending to be
However, great complexities abound in someone they aren’t. ”
Personalities (Biophilia), Almazan’s debut CD. Almazan was born in Havana and started
The array of styles expressed by his trio with taking piano lessons at age 7. He lived in
bassist Linda Oh and drummer Henry Cole, Mexico and Miami before arriving in New York.
along with an occasional string quartet (playing Playing gigs with Ambrose Akinmusire
Vincent Soyez
Shostakovich, no less) and the use of electronics, has been key to Almazan’s development, but his
makes it tough to categorize Almazan stylisti- most important collaborator has been another
cally. Personalities is emblematic of the pianist’s trumpeter, Terence Blanchard: “I learned a lot ration,” he says. “George Lucas knew what he
composure, but there’s flamboyance as well. at Manhattan School of Music, but I couldn’t didn’t want, and Terence knew how to provide
When discussing his influences, Almazan have learned what I learned with Terence.” what he wanted that he didn’t know he want-
states, “Carlos Varela, to me, is not what Almazan, who has a keen interest in film ed.” (Almazan’s piano playing can be heard in
you would consider a typical Cuban singer.” music and orchestration, was recently a fel- the film and on the CD soundtrack.)
Indeed, Varela’s beautifully romantic “Bola De low at the Sundance Institute’s Composers Lab. In 2012, Almazan will perform with
Nieve”—a song filled with longing, and one of He also traveled to Prague, where Blanchard Blanchard’s quintet and headline his own gigs.
three non-originals on Personalities—speaks to scored executive producer George Lucas’ film With his astounding chops and serene charisma,
that singer’s fiery independence. Red Tails. “It was amazing to see that collabo- Almazan is a star on the rise. —John Ephland
From left: Jeff Stein, Perry Smith and John Storie
Anna Helm
I
n Robert Glasper’s
view, jazz could
learn a thing or two
from hip-hop, not just
musically—though the
pianist has increasingly
worked to meld the
genres over the course
of his career—but also
in its attitude.
“I’m waiting for somebody to get shot, I do, because that brings a certain normalcy to ing, as a person and as an artist. For those
some beef, something,” Glasper jokes, recall- it. And jazz could use some abnormal shit, to people who think like that, jazz would have
ing infamous hip-hop feuds that crossed from be honest.” stopped at Charlie Parker. There would be no
talk to violence. “I’ve gotten bored with jazz There’s certainly nothing “normal” about Birth Of The Cool, there would be no hard
to the point where I wouldn’t mind something an album by a jazz pianist that begins with soul bop, no A Love Supreme. There would be no
bad happening. Slapping hurts, but at some songstress Erykah Badu’s blissed-out rendi- Ornette Coleman, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea,
point it’ll wake you up. I feel like jazz needs a tion of “Afro-Blue” and ends with Experiment Herbie. The evolution of music would stop if
big-ass slap.” multi-instrumentalist Casey Benjamin’s vocod- those people have power. Luckily, I was born
Glasper hasn’t taken to packing heat quite er gloss on Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” in a time period when there was a lot of dope
yet, but he is offering his own wake-up call via with soaring, powerful backing vocals by Lalah music around, and I’m a product of that.”
Black Radio (Blue Note), the first full album by Hathaway. In between, the Experiment tackles While Black Radio is the furthest Glasper
his Experiment band. The disc features a host material by Sade and David Bowie, along with has ventured from traditional jazz, it makes
of hip-hop and neo-soul vocalists sitting in originals crafted with the same improvisatory sense given his continual evolution. His
with the quartet, including rap superstar Lupe looseness that has marked the band’s groove- 2007 trio album In My Element included “J
Fiasco, soul crooners Ledisi, Bilal and Musiq heavy, genre-mashing gigs at New York’s Dillalude,” an homage to the late, hugely influ-
Soulchild, Mint Condition vocalist Stokley Blue Note. Glasper understands that there are ential hip-hop producer J Dilla, as well as a
Williams and rapper/actor Mos Def, for whom those who feel that jazz artists have no busi- version of Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage”
Glasper has worked for five years as music ness expanding their boundaries into these hybridized with Radiohead’s “Everything In
director. More than just borrowing elements areas. He’s more than ready to face an ensuing Its Right Place.” Over the course of a conver-
from other genres, Black Radio fully embraces controversy over the album; he actually seems sation, Glasper drops names like Billy Joel and
them, resulting in an album that might sit more eager for it. Bruce Hornsby as piano heroes as readily as he
comfortably in an r&b record collection than “I hope people don’t like this record,” the mentions Mulgrew Miller.
in a jazz one. native Houstonian laughs between bites of His sidemen in the Robert Glasper
“I’m a big house of many rooms,” Glasper Texas-style brisket at a Manhattan barbecue Experiment come from equally eclectic back-
says. “Jazz is one of them, but there’s a lot of joint. (The conversation is frequently punctu- grounds. Fellow Houstonian Chris Dave has
other stuff in there. This is my way of putting ated with laughter as Glasper chuckles at his played with Kenny Garrett and Pat Metheny,
all my rooms together and making a thought, own audacity.) “I hope I ruffle the jazz police’s served for a time as a member of ’90s r&b hit-
and whatever you determine that thought feathers,” he says. “Throughout history, every- makers Mint Condition, and is currently in
should be called, I don’t really care. I’d rather thing new ruffled feathers, so if what I’m doing rehearsals for the long-awaited comeback tour
somebody not be able to totally define stuff that isn’t jazz anymore, so be it. I’m just progress- of eccentric soul singer D’Angelo. “Every time
T
A new album sheds light on the early work of the iconic jazz guitarist
he exact dates the mysterious tapes rolled to capture Wes Montgomery and his
group are not known—it was probably sometime in 1957 or 1958. The three set-
tings of the recordings are also unclear. Some were recorded in an unidentified
studio, and others in a club. The tapes were most likely made in his hometown,
Indianapolis. Why they were recorded (and what happened to them in the decades
that followed) remains open to conjecture. But one thing is certain: Montgomery offers a sound on
these recordings that is unmistakably his own.
Now released as Echoes Of Indiana Avenue does the story of how this album came into prevent him from working on the Indianapolis
(Resonance), the recordings show the guitarist being. Echoes (available as a CD or double-LP) club scene at night, at venues such as the Hub-
at a time when he was making a pivotal transi- sheds important, new light on Montgomery, Bub, Turf Bar and Missile Room.
tion. Montgomery already had developed a dis- who was voted into the DownBeat Hall of While Montgomery was regularly holding
tinctive approach to the guitar, shortly before Fame in 1968, the same year that he died. multiple jobs during these 14- and 16-hour
record labels began calling. The disc also offers workdays, he was being noticed far from
a compelling snapshot of a still-underappreci- Indianapolis, 1957–’58 Indianapolis. At the end of 1957, he recorded
ated jazz scene in a city that was removed from with Buddy and Monk—and a young home-
what were then the major musical hubs. Some Montgomery could have chosen from a town trumpeter named Freddie Hubbard—for
critics have claimed that because Montgomery number of different routes when he returned sessions that would be released the following
was away from the pressures, and influenc- to Indianapolis in 1950. He had just come off year as Fingerpickin’ (Pacific Jazz). The record
es, of the music industry of the late 1950s, he of a two-year stint touring with vibraphonist didn’t make a huge dent in the jazz market-
was free to experiment. Indianapolis offered a Lionel Hampton in a big band that also includ- place, but it could have contributed to the inter-
strong musical community, which included his ed bassist Charles Mingus and trumpeter Fats est that musicians like saxophonist Cannonball
brothers—pianist Buddy and bassist Monk— Navarro. But the notably clean-living guitarist Adderley and composer Gunther Schuller
alongside such empathetic colleagues as pia- also had a wife and children to support. As he began taking not just in the guitarist, but his
nist/organist Melvin Rhyne, bassist Mingo told Bill Quinn in the June 27, 1968, issue of Midwestern city, too. They had a lot to observe
Jones and drummer Paul Parker, all of whom DownBeat, “What I wanted to do didn’t matter there, according to the musicians who worked
are on the tapes that became Echoes. as much as what I had to do.” So he would wake with the Montgomery brothers at its Indiana
In the late-’50s, Indianapolis had its share up early to begin an eight-hour shift at a radio Avenue clubs.
of challenges and obstacles. Decades later, so parts factory starting at 7 a.m., which did not Jones was one of the musicians who had
Photos on opposite page: (1) Wes Montgomery at the Essex House Hotel in Indianapolis, 1959. Photo by © Duncan Schiedt. (2) From left: Paul Parker, Wes Montgomery and Melvin Rhyne at
the Essex House Hotel, 1959. Photo by © Duncan Schiedt. (3) From left: Wes Montgomery and Buddy Montgomery at the Turf Bar. Photo courtesy of Ann Montgomery. (4) From left: Willis Kirk,
Monk Montgomery, Wes Montgomery and Buddy Montgomery, performing in Indianapolis. Photo: DownBeat archives. (5) Wes Montgomery, Buddy Montgomery and others at a Halloween
party at the Turf Bar, 1955 or ’56. Photo courtesy of Ann Montgomery. (6) From left: Monk, Wes and Buddy Montgomery. Photo courtesy of Ann Montgomery. (7) Wes Montgomery, smiling and
playing at the Essex House Hotel, 1959. Photo by © Duncan Schiedt.
7
wes montgomery
been active on that street since he left the Army, guys who came on the avenue had the chance flourished at the time. He made the rounds
where he doubled on trumpet in military bands to learn how to be great musicians. They were there as a young trombonist, trying to soak up
and served in the Korean War. He recalled that also helping younger musicians to study and as much as he could at jam sessions that the
the Indianapolis club scene also emphasized a learn what being a musician was all about.” Montgomery brothers and their contempo-
strong sense of discipline. Those thriving clubs, such as George’s Bar, raries were running.
“Indiana Avenue had clubs wall to wall, Henri’s, Mr. B’s and the 16th Street Tavern, “As a player in high school, I had to draw a
and they were not just clubs—they were nice, were located in the city’s predominantly mustache on with a pencil so I could get into
clean clubs,” Jones said. “The musicians who African American neighborhoods. Echoes Of the clubs,” Baker said. “And I’d wear my Dizzy
came there had to be dressed properly, and Indiana Avenue commemorates this time and Gillespie glasses, which had no glass in them.
they had to play well. The clubs didn’t accept place through the photographs and essays in its High-schoolers like me would wait for Tuesday
no half-job; you had to be on time. Most club liner notes. Educator/bandleader David Baker nights so we could go from club A to club B to
owners wanted to make money, and you can’t has said that there were around 20 small the- club C, and I believe we were playing the same
make money if you’re not organized. These aters, bars, bistros and other venues where jazz solos at the last one that we did at the first one.
But since you couldn’t be in two places at one
time, we had some kind of anonymity. When
you got these places to play, and you’re not
going to make any money anyway, this is the
time to hone your skills.”
This supportive community thrived even
though racial discrimination was about as pro-
minor or major. Monk was also one of those the guitarist was holding court at the Missile ess that the jazz of yesteryear, the jazz of the
people who was very aware of his physical Room on Indiana Avenue. In the liner notes jam sessions and cutting contests had, but that,
prowess. If anything happened, he could take to The Wes Montgomery Trio, Keepnews I’m afraid, the jazz of today has almost com-
care of it. The most deadly words you could claimed, “I first heard about Wes in no uncer- pletely lost.”
hear as a novice were Wes saying to you, ‘What tain terms and twice on the same day: to be What’s striking is that Keepnews and
are the changes?’ Because then he’d say, ‘You’ll precise, on September 17, 1959.” He went on Riverside worked quickly enough to sign
hear it,’ which meant, ‘Go home.’” to add that the same day Adderley “charged Montgomery and bring him, along with Rhyne
Toward seasoned musicians, Wes Mont- into the Riverside office” urging him to sign and Parker, into the studio in only three weeks
gomery in particular was remembered for being the guitarist, Keepnews read Schuller’s arti- to record The Wes Montgomery Trio (aka
especially generous. In the late ’50s, Jones was cle, “Indiana Renaissance,” published in the A Dynamic New Sound) in October 1959.
playing at Andre’s when bassist Leroy Vinnegar September 1959 issue of The Jazz Review. Considering how disciplined and industrious
recommended him to the guitarist. Schuller was effusive in describing the guitarist was, he must have prepared him-
“Although Wes had great talent, he was a Montgomery’s playing, describing techniques self for this transition onto a larger jazz playing
regular, loving guy, and he would always help that have since become familiar to every jazz field. That’s where the recordings that make up
you,” Jones said. “When guitar players came to guitarist. As Montgomery performed without Echoes Of Indiana Avenue come in.
town, he’d go up to them and he’d introduce him- a pick, his solos would move from introduc- Producer Michael Cuscuna, who would
self. He was just that type of person. Even after ing a single-line melody to using octaves as a play a significant role in finding and helping
he had got famous, he’d come to town and stop way of playing in different registers simultane- release the recordings decades later, believes
by my apartment. Wes would come by and talk ously and then concluding with block chords— that the tapes were made as audition reels for
about his experience on the road, and say he’d all of which were tied together with a perfect Montgomery. It’s likely, then, that they would
wished we’d all been together. But the way it hap- sense of form and executed relatively quietly. have been circulating the following year.
pened, everything went smooth.” Varying accounts mention that Montgomery’s “They were [recorded] live, but done pro-
In that 1968 DownBeat interview, Mont- subdued volume derived from his not want- fessionally live,” Cuscuna explained. “It wasn’t
gomery credited Adderley for raving about ing to disturb either his wife, or his neighbors, a small reel-to-reel at a table in the back of a
him to Riverside Records founders Bill Grauer while practicing. club. So they were done for Wes, his manager,
and Orrin Keepnews—leading to the prom- Schuller wrote, “In its totality, it is playing or whoever. They sound like they were made
inent record deal that would take him out of that combines the perfect choice of notes—i.e. with the idea of getting Wes a record deal.”
Indianapolis a decade earlier. That was when purity of creative ideas—with a technical prow- The performances on Echoes Of Indiana
School of Wes
T
wo of Wes Montgomery’s guitar disciples, Pat Martino and Russell Malone, share their
excitement on hearing Echoes Of Indiana Avenue and describe what its release means
for understanding his legacy. Both guitarists were interviewed by Aaron Cohen.
Jimmy Ryan
and goes with the culture. Since those years, can tell those guys had spent a lot of time
our culture has changed drastically. There together, and you can hear some of the
were many things involved with this recording that could never be re- same changes and harmonies that were on A Dynamic New Sound.
placed.… Unlike some of the other records that Wes did with studio Wes sounds more boppish on this recording; he was speaking that lan-
players who were artists in the label’s roster, when the Montgomery guage of bebop. I remember reading an article where he said that he
brothers played together, it was something special. Groove Yard (River- was more influenced by horn players than guitar players, and you can
side) was a great example. There are cuts on this album where they’re hear that language here, especially in the phrasing. On “Diablo’s Dance”
playing together that remind me of that. The first cut embodies that, “Di- and “Straight No Chaser,” you can really hear it. It reminds me of Clifford
ablo’s Dance”; the way they sound together is just superb. The cuts all Brown a little bit. When [Montgomery] played ballads, he was never in
produce a completely different aura from Wes. “After Hours Blues” cap- a hurry. You rarely heard him double-time on ballads, and a lot of guitar
tures a style I never heard from him before. It seems as if it came from a players tend to double-time instead of allowing the notes to breathe and
prior time, a time prior to the hard-bop years. Goes back to something develop. On “Darn That Dream” and “’Round Midnight” in particular, it’s
extremely exciting and important in terms of his evolution as an artist. beautiful the way Wes takes his time and allows his solo to develop.
A
t Brooklyn’s Roulette in December, on the second night of an
ambitious, two-night, six-set stand in celebration of Ishmael Wa-
dada Leo Smith’s 70th birthday, the first group took the stage
half an hour late.
Smith had more than 30 performers to cor- freedom combined with a fierce artistic com- Construction Company, which used Paris as
ral for that particular show. On the previous mitment, whether he’s composing a project its base in 1970. Smith was key to Braxton’s
night, things had been punctual. Finally, Smith deploying his specific theoretical strategies, or audacious Delmark debut, Three Compositions
addressed the audience in front of his Golden cueing directions for his musicians via authori- Of New Jazz, contributing one of those com-
Sextet, announcing a further delay: “Just tryin’ tative hand signals. positions. During his school days, Smith, nick-
to find the space right now,” he said with gravi- The range of Smith’s oeuvre is remarkable. named “Schubert,” was fascinated by com-
tas. After a meditative pause, he added, “If you He has recorded for ECM with Lester Bowie position and early on began formulating a
are getting ready to make an apple pie, then you and Kenny Wheeler; composed music for cham- music system dubbed “Ankhrasmation” or
better not rush it, or no one will want to eat it.” ber formats, gamelan ensembles, and multi- “Ahkreanvention,” (derived from the ancient
This display of grace under pressure illus- ple harps; investigated Noh traditions in Japan; Egyptian term ankh, or life force). Aside from
trated the focused aura that the Mississippi- and collaborated with musicians in Iceland. He graphic scores and other insinuations of where
born trumpeter commands. has made numerous solo recordings, as well as the music should go, his “rhythm units”—
The same centered vibe was evident at Los duo projects with such diverse artists as Jack non-metrical divisions of sound and silence—
Angeles’ Red Cat six weeks prior when Smith DeJohnette, Günter “Baby” Sommer and lap- can involve staff-bound note stacks of var-
coordinated another outsized project, his five- top musician Ikue Mori. Smith has filtered the ied duration as a guide to the performer. For
hour civil rights opus Ten Freedom Summers influence of reggae and the Shona culture of Smith, issues of equality and self-determina-
(set for release in May by the Cuneiform label Thomas Mapfumo’s Chimurenga music, and tion are paramount. He is a devout improvis-
as a four-CD set). dropped flame-throwing electric fusion with er—a point made clear in his 1973 manifesto
Smith’s measured mien doesn’t mean he Henry Kaiser’s Yo Miles! project. Another Notes (8 Pieces) Source A New World Music:
fails to break a sweat. At Roulette, in a hunched fruitful recent hook-up was with the guitar and Creative Music.
posture reminiscent of Miles Davis, dread- harmonica of John Coxon, from the U.K.-based Since 1993, Smith has been on the faculty
locks masking perspiring brow, Smith deliv- group Spring Heel Jack. at the Herb Alpert School of Music at California
ered high-pressure, unhurried blasts from his Smith resists classification as a chameleon Institute of the Arts, where he is the coordi-
trumpet, often muted, and vintage flügelhorn. or dilettante. The indelible stamp of his klaxon nator of African American Improvisational
Despite orchestrating a panoply of music, trumpet bores to the heart of the matter, with- Music. Smith is also a poet, visual artist and
Smith steadily remains the unblinking eye out sentimentality or artifice. activist through music, au courant with shifts
of the cyclone. Mbira—his trio with percus- After a somewhat rebellious time in sever- in the behavior of the populace. One composi-
sionist Pheeroan akLaff and pipa player Min al Army bands and stints backing blues/soul tion, premiered at Roulette and recently record-
Xiao-Fen—segued to string quartet, thence hero Little Milton (a casual guest in the home ed with a 22-piece pan-Scandinavian orches-
to the 23-piece Silver Orchestra, culminating of Leo’s stepfather, bluesman Alex “Little Bill” tra in Finland, is titled Occupy The World For
in a multimedia rock fusion nonet show with Wallace), Smith became a valued member of Life, Liberty And Justice.
Organic, featuring his grandson Lamar among the fledgling Association for the Advancement In a conversation outside the Walt Disney
the three guitarists. of Creative Musicians (AACM) in Chicago in Concert Hall—mere blocks from the Occupy
Smith’s prolific output and raft of associa- 1967, forging a tight bond with saxophonist Wall Street encampment near Los Angeles
tions demonstrate a talent for bringing people Anthony Braxton and violinist Leroy Jenkins. Town Hall—and in subsequent email cor-
into his orbit while helping them discover their Smith, Braxton and Jenkins, along with respondence, DownBeat asked the thinking
own path. His work reflects a strong element of drummer Steve McCall, formed the Creative man’s improviser about his work.
DownBeat: Your 1973 manifesto referred et Muhammad, my heart opened and I found
to improvisation as “a vital art form with a a connection with truth and the path toward
future as absolute as the mind.” When you home. Having already taken the name Ishmael,
direct musicians, they are not required to the choice was confirmed when I was leaving
surrender to the whole. You wrote that “indi- the Grand Mosque of Mecca [which has many
vidual centers” needn’t respond to “the total doors]. I looked up to see where I was exiting
creative energy of the different units,” thus from—it was the door of Ishmael.
freeing “the sound-rhythm elements in a im-
provisation from being realized through de- During your Rastafari phase, you counte-
pendent reaction.” Do you not espouse ba- nanced the word Jahzz, but you generally
sic subjugation of the Self in performance? reject such categorizations of creativity.
Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith: What I Yes, because that word in-housed Jah, which
want from the creative artist, the composers/ comprised the idea of the “word, sound, power”
performers in my ensembles, is a complete con- of Rasta, and not jazz as a music reference.
tribution, creating music that is multi-dominant
in all qualities. Each performer has equal rights How did such acknowledged antecedents
in shaping the music-object with personal cre- as Joe Smith, Fats Navarro, Booker Little
ative energy independent of others. The over- and Lester Bowie affect your outlook?
all awareness of the performer must be deeply Smith, Navarro and Little, all three great
connected in the ensemble form, but in a more improvisers, formulated a language unlike any
spiritual way, closer to meditation. Dependent before. Little was a brilliant composer, and to
reaction will reduce creativity in a music- this day no other artist has found the language
object…then redundancy becomes the norm, he used in composition. Others have tried to go
value as an art-object is lost. there but have not been able to touch the lan-
guage that Booker created.
Do you revoke the colonial rule of count-ins, Lester was a composer/performer and the
time signatures and key transposition? perfect trumpeter of improvisation, with the
I do use these elements when needed to ability to create high-quality music using har-
achieve an idea, or when I invest in melody monic progression and creative free-improvi-
or sonic form. That is always a creative deci- sation. Unlike Little, Lester lived long enough
sion not set from custom or tradition. Feeling is to transform his community; we will remem-
more important to me. Like, how does the per- ber him forever. The Association for the
former know to play the figures in a score with- Advancement of Creative Musicians is still
out using beating or counting? He or she must the planet people have heard about. Some have
[embed] within themselves a psychological experienced the uniqueness of these creative
knowledge of form and structure, commit to artists, but who we are and what our music is
an understanding of how the shapes and spac- about is still largely unknown.
es work in a figure, then realize those figures in
relation to the horizontal and vertical dimen- Your trumpet lines are laconic statements,
sions in the composition. It’s not to give up any sonic blasts into the air alternating with in-
of the musical elements but to express what I ternalized gasps and poised long-tones,
feel. True inspiration must emanate from musi- rather than extended melodic lines. You
cal work, giving me, the artist, and others a seem preoccupied with some definition of
place in the creation to know ourselves. primal human energy, beyond the breeding
of earworms.
After studying ethnomusicology at Wes- No, my trumpet improvisations include
leyan, you took studies into the field, inves- structure, space and silence, rhythm and sound.
tigating belief systems as an undercurrent If we hear the way the music develops, taking
to musical tradition. Has being married four these elements and sound as its realized form,
times to women of diverse cultural origin then it is an extended musical improvisation.
and the switch from Rastafari to Islam af-
fected your attitude toward artistic pursuit? You write music by hand, monk-like—the
The world is a large family. Having a life Ten Freedom Summers manuscript is over
that has crossed many cultural and spiritual 200 pages—you illustrate graphic scores,
paths, I am growing into the best I can be. I and incorporate videography and poetic ru-
learned from Rastafari how to use philosoph- minations. Is the symbolism in Ahkreanven-
ical and mystical views of Christianity to dis- tion specific, or does it have kinship with the
cover a new spiritual reality of life mixed with “total art” term Gesamtkunstwerk?
the revolutionary fire and vision of art as a I handwrite my scores because of the
force for change. As Bob Marley said, “Natural direct power this act releases into my being. I
mystic blowing through the air, and if you lis- touch the paper as the ideas and inspiration
ten carefully you will hear.” flow through me. I spread the score onto the
Before Islam I’d looked into many reli- floor and walk through it. Viewing structured
gions: the Christians, Buddhism, Zen and elements from different positions gives me a
their mysticism. But when I read the Qur’an feeling about balance, form, clarity of intent.
to learn some of the teachings of the proph- I will change any part that doesn’t feel right,
O
rbert Davis surrounds himself with talent. From his quintet
sidemen and the members of his 57-piece Chicago Jazz
Philharmonic (CJP) to the teachers and staff who execute
his music outreach programs, the trumpeter keeps highly
skilled, passionate people close to him at all times. He
needs them to help him pursue his mission, a personal ministry to cre-
ate bigger audiences for jazz and classical music—and improve the
lives of youngsters.
Pictures of music students adorn the walls of his downtown Chicago ativity and productivity. Within the last year alone, he has won an
office, serving as a constant reminder of the inspiration he draws from Emmy award, served as artist in residence at the Chicago Jazz Festival
working with underprivileged kids in schools across the city. Posters and twice performed a two-part tribute to Miles Davis with his CJP
and playbills from his musical performances fill every corner of the in major Chicago-area concert venues. His educational organizations—
suite, which serves as a center of gravity for a multifaceted universe of Jazz Alive, the outreach arm of the CJP; Discover Music: Discover Life,
musical activities he spearheads. Welcome to Orbert Inc. which teaches life skills to disadvantaged children through general
Davis has invented his own career and pursued his dream to the music instruction; and an annual jazz camp week he leads at University
extreme, reaping the rewards of personal satisfaction and critical of Illinois at Chicago, where he serves as a clinical associate professor—
acclaim. He is a man of big ideas with a heart to match, and people are all gaining momentum.
love him for it. Even his name—unorthodox yet perfectly matched to his “Orbert has an enormous impact on the students who participate in
powerful personality—is an instant hit with everyone he meets. the Jazz Academy at UIC,” said Nicholas Carlson, Jazz Academy coor-
Seated at a modest office table, casually dressed in colorful clothes, dinator at University of Illinois at Chicago. “He supplements music pro-
Davis comes across as a man who’s infinitely comfortable in his own grams where there is great need in underserved communities, bring-
skin as he reflects on a life dedicated to artistry and advocacy. And he ing middle school and high school students to a university campus and
never stops smiling. treating them as future college students. He provides them with suc-
Davis, 52, acknowledges that he has ascended to a high point of cre- cessful learning modes that serve their entire educational and person-
al development. The far-reaching effects of this program will be felt for researching, connecting the dots. I’m reading a biography of Ella, pick-
generations.” ing out the pieces I know we’re going to play, the Nelson Riddle reper-
Davis continues to produce new episodes of his radio show, “The toire and so on.”
Real Deal,” which is broadcast weekly on WDCB 90.9 FM, streams The ambitious Davis simultaneously focuses on immediate plans
online and has a podcast. And this winter, he was busy researching, and long-term goals: “The reason I’m doing all the writing right now is
arranging and composing in preparation for a March 31 CJP concert [because] it’s creating a brand, the brand of the orchestra, and part of that
tribute to Ella Fitzgerald at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre. concept is based around me as a jazz artist, shedding that skin and now
Davis has help getting it all done. He credits his business partner being the classical composer. We thought about that long and hard—
Mark Ingram, his best friend for more than three decades, with han- whether we should make the CJP more of a workshop kind of thing
dling the business end and many of the administrative duties required to where we get people to bring us their arrangements, but we decided that
keep all of the projects afloat. Together, they are owners and co-found- at least for the first 10 years of the orchestra, it should be one composer,
ers of Orbark Productions, an umbrella organization formed in 1999 that one vision before we open up.”
encompasses pretty much everything that Orbert does.
“It’s day-to-day madness, but it’s really about taking care of business
on each level,” Davis says. “If it weren’t for Mark, I wouldn’t be able to
be creative. I’m more of the visionary, and I try to create new opportuni-
ties. Whenever opportunity comes, as a team we dive into it, and whatev-
“Whenever opportunity
er we can’t get done, we try to find someone to help make that happen.”
Together, Davis and Ingram have built the trumpeter’s career into a
comes, as a team we dive
highly visible brand. They think big and share a mindset that anything is
possible as long as they’re able to access the right combination of musi- into it, and whatever we
cal, educational and financial resources. The success of the CJP, which
presents an amalgamation of straightahead jazz and classical music, is a can’t get done, we try
testament to the greatness they’re capable of achieving.
The CJP started when Davis was invited by the Jazz Institute of to find someone to help
Chicago to perform at the 2004 Chicago Jazz Festival and was encour-
aged to present something innovative on a large scale. He came up with make it happen.”
a huge ensemble that included classical strings, brass, woodwinds and
percussion combined with a traditional jazz combo. Its auspicious debut
launched the CJP on a trajectory that has included several high-pro-
file performances, recordings and commissions. Among its more nota-
ble gigs, the orchestra played Davis’ “Hope In Action” suite to an audi-
ence of 8,000 on the occasion of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday in
2008. The group’s 2009 CD Collective Creativity—which featured the
D avis holds a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University and a mas-
ter’s in jazz pedagogy from Northwestern University. But he
believes he gained most of his composing and arranging skills in a non-
commissioned work “Fanfare For Cloud Gate,” composed in 2005 for academic setting: the real world of the working musician.
the official dedication of Anish Kapoor’s work of modern sculpture in He began performing professionally as a high school student in
Chicago’s Millennium Park—garnered critical acclaim nationwide. Momence, Ill., a town 50 miles south of Chicago. Davis was recruit-
Davis’ original score for the national PBS documentary DuSable To ed by Ingram, a trombonist and vocalist four years his senior who need-
Obama: Chicago’s Black Metropolis premiered in 2010 and featured ed a trumpeter for a Top 40 covers band called Vice-Versa. When Davis
members of the CJP. The Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National moved to Chicago to attend DePaul, Ingram followed him soon after-
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented Davis and Ingram ward. Together they formed the funk/r&b band Grand Staff, which last-
with an Emmy for DuSable To Obama (in the category Outstanding ed for 14 years and frequently required Davis to condense big band tunes
Crafts Achievement Off-Air—Musical Composition/Arrangement). for a four-piece horn section. While still in college, Davis found his way
Davis he has since released a soundtrack CD of the program on his into the commercial jingle industry, playing trumpet and ghost-writing
3Sixteen label. material for sessions. When assignments would come in late, he found
“To tell you the truth, I didn’t realize it was an Emmy until we got himself writing and arranging jingles overnight.
there and they put this trophy in my hand,” Davis says. “That project “I became proficient at writing for horns with the pop band, and then
wrote itself. I just composed from the Civil War until today, and they someone called me to do a string arrangement, and it was terrible,” Davis
edited the film around my music. I think this is where the jazz and clas- says. “I was thrown into the fire, trial by fire. I would just study, read lots
sical experience works for me, in that some of it is composed, and we of books, the Don Sebesky book and the Sammy Nestico book. And any
did that session in a half-day, done. And the other part was, ‘Turn the red time I’d have a project, I would just read everything and study. When I
light on and let’s go.’ I did a series of pieces called ‘’60s Heat.’ It was started doing jingle recording sessions in college, I would always turn
basically the pivotal point of the civil rights struggle in Chicago, total- and watch the strings record [in the studio], just see how things were
ly improvised. I said, ‘It’s 1960, Miles has just recorded Kind Of Blue, going. I learned so much just by soaking everything up.”
inside we’re feeling great about ourselves and our music; outside, all For 10 years, Davis and Ingram were heavily involved in the house
hell is breaking loose. And we just went, first takes on everything. The music genre, which emerged in Chicago in the ’80s. Davis worked as
one thing I can take credit for is [that] I wrote a theme. I took Obama as an arranger for producer Marshall Jefferson, one of the godfathers of
my theme, and I watched footage of his speeches. I was thinking John Chicago house music, who frequently used full string sections and
Williams, but I also wanted a Superman, movie-ish theme, and it also horns on his recordings. “When I first started, I was so naïve and scared
has to say African. It’s all emotion—I always use that when I compose.” because I didn’t have any formal training,” recalls Davis. “But we hired
Looking ahead to the Fitzgerald tribute, Davis says he plans to write the best of the best, and I just watched them work. I started taking more
an overture inspired by the legendary jazz singer’s personality and his- chances, and eventually I started to get it.” Davis notes that he further
tory. “I envision the introduction having something to do with Chick increased his knowledge of arranging for string instruments in a class at
Webb, and then it will grow into this piece that will be five to seven DePaul and became even more familiar with the nature of strings while
minutes long,” he says. “The rest of the concert will be my arrange- at Northwestern, where he gave jazz improvisation lessons to violinist
ments of songs that she performed regularly. I’m spending a lot of time Zachary Brock, with whom he frequently performs today.
Vijay Iyer Trio on temporality in improvised music, LP Too Much Sugar For A Dime, with an electronic drum part, gain-
Accelerando but is first and foremost a terrific an appropriately devilish, driv- ing speed and steam. It’s a tack the
ACT Music + Vision 9524 trio recording. Iyer revives his ver- ing piano motif kicking into one leader sometimes takes: accrete
HHHH1/2 sion of Michael Jackson’s “Human of the composer’s anthemic, shift- sound in layers, building densi-
Nature,” which he debuted on his ing tunes. It’s an ingenious trip ty to a peak. But he knows how
Vijay Iyer is part of a venerable tra- 2010 CD Solo, this time breaking through genres, with a consisten- to keep the whorls from putting a
dition that includes Anthony up and reconfiguring the piece with cy of invention and interplay that drag on momentum. You can hear
Braxton and George Lewis of musi- his trio. keeps the through line clear. Iyer an M-Base connection in the lean
cian-scholars in the creative music The eclectic nature of the pro- also adapts “The Star Of A Story” rhythmic complexity of “Actions
lineage. Visit his web site and you gram is clearest, perhaps, in the by Heatwave, which shows off the Speak” and “Lude,” bass and
can find essays he’s written for sequence of covers that follows impressive cohesion nurtured by drums fitting together in an extrap-
Journal of Consciousness Studies “Human Nature”: Herbie Nichols’ bassist Stephan Crump—wonder- olated funk, amassing energy, then
and Music Perception. There are jumpy “Wildflower,” treated with ful, natural sound—and drummer suddenly breaking down, dub-style.
plenty of folks who swap those a reverent bounce and spring-load- Marcus Gilmore, who is as crisp as The program ends with a sly nod at
terms around the scholar-musicians ed soloing by Iyer, directly into early Jon Christensen and as potent Duke Ellington. —John Corbett
hyphen but in Iyer’s case the start- “Mmmhmm,” a sweet melody with as Billy Higgins. Accelerando: Bode; Optimism; The Star Of A
ing point is the playing; theorizing perky digitoid rhythms by electron- Iyer’s compositions—five of
Story; Human Nature (Trio Extension); Wildflower;
Mmmhmm; Little Pocket Size Demons; Lude;
comes out of direct experience. ica guru Flying Lotus, and the clas- them here—are Accelerando’s glue. Accelerando; Actions Speak; The Village Of The
Virgins. (59:55)
Accelerando may well help us sic “Little Pocket Size Demons,” The title track, written to accom- Personnel: Vijay Iyer, piano; Stephen Crump,
bass; Marcus Gilmore, drums.
understand Iyer’s theoretical work from the essential Henry Threadgill pany a dance performance, starts Ordering info: actmusic.com
CD Critics
Critics’ Comments
Ambitious, restless, in motion, but easily lured into big, forte maelstroms of churning horsepower, sometimes
sealing off all the exit routes (“Star Of The Story”). Iyer’s big-footed, tramp-tramp attack has bulk and torque
that keeps the rubber burning. The better moments are the jaunty ones in between. Group rapport is in sync.
—John McDonough
Culling from various sources is supposed to be a commonplace these days, but it’s thrilling to hear this piano
trio roll from an electronic dream to a syncopated maze when they make the Flying Lotus/Zooid transition.
Brilliant stuff. —Jim Macnie
Haunted and obsessive, this zoom-focused, throbbing music—jazz meets drum’n’bass?—feels driven by
volcanic emotion, even while its organization feels cerebral and its mood, occasionally, dreamy and lyrical.
The playful take on Herbie Nichols’ “Wildflower,” “Mmmhmm”’s atmospheric agitation and the title tune’s
succinct force are highlights. —Paul de Barros
An experimental formalist of 35 years standing and stern virtuosity, Berne expresses the irony of the
vanguardists: overturning other peoples’ norms while re-enforcing their own. To wit, anxiety, ambivalence,
uncertainty expressed in a flinty European impressionism. Here its virtues are arresting, but discrete and
momentary, not sustained. —John McDonough
No compromise on this outing. Long, involved, compositionally complex tracks, with hardcore improvised
extrapolation and points of miraculous convergence. Bass-less quartet nevertheless totally grounded, love
the Noriega/Berne combo sonority. Mitchell can be melodically pretty without wimping out. —John Corbett
Berne’s angular, aggressive patterns of seemingly random melody notes leaping over wide intervals are
instantly recognizable, and that’s an accomplishment. But as with Anthony Braxton, one of Berne’s inspira-
tions, it’s easier to admire what he does than to take much pleasure in it. That said, Berne’s collaboration here
with the marvelous Oscar Noriega on clarinet projects a less nervous vibe than usual. —Paul de Barros
All hands pitch in, but Stafford’s the backbone in this remarkably assertive turn. “Sad Eyes” begins as a
hymn, then shifts to a shuffle that invites the kind of hot, impassioned trumpet sound that vanished in the
’50s. Great bass dialog too. Wilson crowds him on “Stolen Time,” but Versace atones for his organ and ac-
cordion fetish on “Bridge” —John McDonough
Wilson’s buoyant, positive spirit carries over into every cranny of this CD. He can be jokey, but with such seri-
ous musicality and swing that it doesn’t thin out. Versace’s up for the eclectic component, adding the quirky
“Poster Boy” and some good fun organ and accordion alternatives, while Stafford is the big surprise here,
ready and willing to get in the playpen and frolic. —John Corbett
I hear it as a suite, every cymbal shimmer connecting to every trumpet purr connecting to every bass stroll
and every piano foray. The bandleader’s expert in building positive chemistry. Unity and spirit dominate here
—Jim Macnie
Extrapolated Miles Davis, re-imagined as flamboyant, two-fisted piano numbers, infused with traditional fla-
menco, high energy, different in spirit from the starting point, counterposed with impressionistic down-tempo
tracks only slightly closer to their port of origin. —John Corbett
Fun stuff, more so during the uptempo pieces, where the informal zest of flamenco gives the classic material
a refreshed approachability. The ballads offer a nice dynamic shift, but aren’t as individualistic. Hero: bassist
Mario Rossy. —Jim Macnie
Dominguez has been fusing flamenco and jazz piano for some time now with an unforced touch that feels
almost off-hand, so this Miles Davis-focused project is a welcome one. But with the exception of “Freddie
Freeloader” the tracks don’t arc to the kind of passionate climax one hopes for. —Paul de Barros
the listener into these quirky songs.
Another obvious strength is a supporting
cast that includes players as talented as Anat
and Avishai Cohen, and Matt Wilson. The
arrangements by Oded Lev-Ari, who also pro-
duced, treats the soloists as spices that are
added at key times: Anat Cohen’s clarinet pro-
viding woody counterpoint to Josh Sinton’s
burnished baritone on “May I Come In,”
Avishai Cohen’s muted trumpet juxtaposed
against fast piano work by Bruce Barth on
“Down With Love.” The Cohens combine clar-
inet and trumpet on the samba “I’m Shadowing
You.” The core of the album—a trio of songs
that includes Dearie’s own love song for John
Lennon—maintains a minimalist approach,
Amy Cervini which serves Cervini’s highly musical voice
Digging Me, Digging You the best. Elsewhere, particularly on a swing- Matthew Shipp Trio
Anzic 0034 ing “Everything I’ve Got,” “Rhode Island” Elastic Aspects
HHH and “Once Upon A Summertime,” the sing- Thirsty Ear 57202
er is buried by the massed instruments—espe- HHHH
Loved by some, overlooked by many more, cially egregious when the lyrics are everything
vocalist Blossom Dearie remains one of the to the material. Cervini saves the best for last: Turning 50 can make a man reflect, and this
most singular artists in a genre dominated by an intriguing four-cello arrangement of Bob impulse was evident on Matthew Shipp’s last
distinctive performers. Calling her an acquired Dorough’s tone poem “Figure Eight.” Dearie album, Art Of The Improviser, a double CD
taste seems a bit mean; she was more like a rare fans will be delighted. —James Hale that crystalized his current approach to the
delicacy best enjoyed in small doses. Toronto Digging Me, Digging You: Everything I’ve Got; I Like You, You’re piano and debuted his new trio. Elastic Aspects
native Amy Cervini doesn’t sound much like Nice; Rhode Island; May I Come In?; My Attorney Bernie; Hey John;
Down With Love; Once Upon A Summertime; Doodlin’ Song; I’m
can be seen as a companion piece to its prede-
Dearie—does anyone?—and she avoids the pit- Shadowing You; Tea For Two; The Physician; Figure Eight. (47:18) cessor in the way that it very explicitly breaks
falls of many tribute recordings by interpreting down the components of his trio music and iso-
Personnel: Amy Cervini, vocals; Avishai Cohen, trumpet; Jennifer
Wharton, bass trombone; Anat Cohen, clarinet; Jeremy Udden,
the songs in ways that suit her own characteris- alto saxophone; Josh Sinton, baritone saxophone; Jesse Lewis,
guitar; Bruce Barth, piano; James Shipp, vibes, percussion; Yair lates how they interact.
tics. Those strengths include crystal-clear dic- Evnine, Rubin Kodheli, Yoed Nir, Jessie Reagan, Alex Waterman,
cello; Matt Aronoff, bass; Matt Wilson, drums.
You don’t even hear Shipp on the opening
tion and an unaffected, direct style that draws Ordering info: amycervini.com number, “Elastic Aspects” just the melancholy
bowed bass of Michael Bisio coursing through
Whit Dickey’s eerie cloud of cymbal tones. The
next track, “Aspects,” is Shipp alone, and it lasts
Rob Garcia 4 just 27 seconds, but that’s long enough to pres-
The Drop And The Ocean ent a complete melodic, harmonic, and emotion-
BJU Records 028 al statement. They come together for the first
HHH1/2 time on “Psychic Counterpoint,” a Thelonious
Monk-ish shuffle that depicts the restless shifts
Drummer Rob Garcia’s fourth album is required from the rhythm section in order to
full of stops and starts, melodies floating make Shipp’s mercurial tangents swing.
over metrically modulating meters, and Shipp has never been shy about displaying
haunting question-and-answer themes that the influence of European classical music upon
tug at the ear. In “River,” Garcia parlays a his playing. On “Raw Materials,” he begins
dancing 6/8 rhythm into a simmering jug- alone, executing Bach-like contrapuntal fig-
gernaut over which his working band of ures. Then Bisio steps in, dancing freely rath-
saxophonist Noah Preminger, pianist Dan er than walking, and his third voice seems to
Tepfer and bassist John Hebert perform cir- invite Shipp to reconsider, to pirouette, and then
cular melodies that rise and fall like phas- to draw the threads tight once more. The pia-
es of the moon. Recalling Wayne Shorter’s nist acknowledges his past penchant for wall-
Night Dreamer in spirit, Garcia mines a simi- lows suit, sputtering piano lines and spiraling flattening assaults on “Explosive Aspects,” but
lar vein of shadows and light, dark tension and rhythms a la a young Herbie Hancock. The this piece also shows how his music changed. In
release throughout The Drop And The Ocean. song’s closing drum solo is all Bill Stewart the David S. Ware quartet his tone clusters con-
Garcia’s drum solos are capsules of intri- styled eruptions, with Garcia’s melodic gifts as tributed both weight and chaos, but now they’re
cate rhythms and complex, heated patterns. clear to follow as an ice flow. bounded by space and elaborated by his side-
Prodding and pushing whether accompa- Garcia’s band definitely follows the Miles men’s exquisite details. The musicians’ attun-
nied or purely solo (as in the drum vehicles Davis mid-’60s quintet for direction and sus- ement to Shipp’s structural and relational con-
“Flash #1,” “#2” and “#3”), Garcia is a drum- tenance, but never resulting in a dull homage. cerns renders his ideas with immaculate clarity.
mer of invention, grace and considerable fire. Theirs is a successful evolution, an engrossing —Bill Meyer
In the uptempo “Crash,” Garcia drills a Tony listen that seers the senses. —Ken Micallef
Williams-ish rhythm that flutters like a bat
Elastic Aspects: Alternative Aspects; Aspects; Psychic Counter-
The Drop And The Ocean: Will, Boundaries, Flash #1, Lost by point; Frame Focus; Flow Chart; Mute Voice; Explosive Aspects;
with defective radar. Morning, The Drop Pt. 2, River, Flash #2, Humility, Crash, String and
Poise, The Return, Flash #3. (62:55)
Raw Materials; Rainforest; Stage 10; Dimension; Elastic Aspects;
Elastic Eye. (48:46)
As he percolates through snare drum jabs Personnel: Rob Garcia, drums; Noah Preminger, saxophones;
Dan Tepfer, piano; John Hebert, bass.
Personnel: Matthew Shipp, piano; Michael Bisio, bass; Whit
Dickey, drums.
and broken cymbal patterns, Tepfer fol- Ordering info: bjurecords.com Ordering info: thirstyear.com
Lowdown Tones
You don’t often hear a baritone saxophonist
fronting a classic jazz organ trio, but on Smul’s
Paradise (Capri 74113; 52:42 HHHH), Gary
Smulyan takes us on a low-down trip through
his own personal paradise. The close friends
featured in this quartet—which also includes
organist Mike LeDonne, guitarist Peter Bern-
stein and drummer Kenny Washington—had
never played together as a group and recorded Paul McCartney
the CD with no rehearsals time. Three of the
tracks pay tribute to the legacy of B3 legend
Kisses On The Bottom
Hear Music/Concord HRM-33369
Don Patterson, including Smulyan’s original
“D.P. Blues.” Dig the sweet bari–guitar unison
HHHH
lines on the pop standard “Sunny,” the soul-
ful, swinging soul of Patterson’s “Up In Betty’s Paul McCartney’s Kisses On The Bottom
Room” and the bebopping bite of Rhonda doesn’t seem to be making any big statements
courtesy yamaha
Scott’s “Pistaccio,” George Coleman’s “Little about genre or generations, or even about what
Miss Half Steps” and Smulyan’s “Heavenly may or may not be a “classic” or “standard”
Hours.” The baritone king’s soul-bearing ca- song. McCartney is simply revisiting—with
denza at the end of Patterson’s “Aires” is one squeaks that take the proceedings beyond the obvious affection—music that moved him as a
of this session’s many high points. realm of traditional harmony, while the rhythm kid, suggesting a continuity rather than a rup-
Ordering info: caprirecords.com team punctuates with pointillistic dings, dongs ture between old and new pop.
Baritone saxophonist and bass clari- and scrapes; the next, everybody swings. Pairing McCartney with Diana Krall was a
netist Brian Landrus makes the low, heavy Contains highly listenable free-jazz that fans of brilliant move. Though Krall comes from the
horns float on air. On his quartet outing Tra- post-bop can definitely enjoy. jazz side and McCartney from rock, they sound
verse (BlueLand BLR-2011A; 42:17 HHHH), Ordering info: jeffkimmel.blogspot.com utterly at home on the lush, sophisticated pop
Landrus demonstrates the tonal nuance, me- Wycliffe Gordon plays trombone, trumpet, terrain Nat “King” Cole inhabited so well.
lodic sense and instrumental command that sousaphone and even sings on Hello Pops! McCartney sounds best riding light and
set him apart from his peers on the big pipes. (Blues Back; 64:45 HHH1/2), an homage to high. He makes the soft-shoe brushes’n’bass of
Landrus plays with gentle authority, his pliable, Louis Armstrong featuring a mix of his own “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself
distinctive tone built on expressive devices like compositions as well as Satchmo-affiliated
A Letter” all his own. (The album’s unfortu-
vibrato, multiphonics and pitch bends. He has standards like “Dream A Little Dream,” “Hello
nate title comes from a line in this song.) Aided
a way of connecting notes with subtle slides Brother,” “Up A Lazy River” and “I’ve Got The
by guitarists Bucky and John Pizzarelli and
and graceful glisses, embellishing melodies World On A String.” Gordon’s trumpet work
with turns and trills that steadily build momen- is impressive, and his bubbling, barking sou-
the lively fiddle of Andy Stein on “It’s Only A
tum and scream good taste. Landrus’ band- saphone accentuates the lively second-line Paper Moon,” the ex-Beatle brings plausibility
mates on Traverse include sensitive pianist backbeat propelled by drummer Mario Field- to a world of fantasy. Likewise, on “The Glory
Michael Cain, who co-wrote three of Landrus’ er. Anat Cohen provides the hot clarinet this Of Love,” he makes us feel he believes every
seven originals presented here; drummer Billy NOLA-inspired music demands, and vocalist earnest word. His lush, sad, deliberate take on
Hart, whose light-touch but complex cymbal Nancy Harms sings with old-school style and “Bye Bye Blackbird” is quite moving.
work deepens the music significantly; and charm on two tracks. Gordon’s vocal impres- But when the singer tries to blow up his
bassist Lonnie Plaxico, who contributes an es- sion of Amstrong is a dead ringer—he nails the voice to crooner proportions, he sounds
sential pulse that keeps the dreamy-sounding legendary singing trumpeter’s signature rasp, artificial, whether it’s on Johnny Mercer’s
material on course. inflection, accent and tendency to scat. “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive” or his own
Ordering info: bluelandrecords.com Ordering info: wycliffegordon.com yearning ballad “My Valentine.” And while
Bass clarinetist Jeff Kimmel and tenor Sousaphone also plays a key role on The Eric Clapton burns on “Get Yourself Another
saxophonist Keefe Jackson go head-to-head Soul Rebels’ Unlock Your Mind (Rounder Fool,” McCartney plays it disappointing-
on Kimmel’s Charm Offensive (Ormolu Mu- 11661-9117; 57:54 HHH). This well-produced ly straight (especially by comparison to Sam
sic 001; 31:02 HHH1/2), an energized quartet recording takes the brass band concept into Cooke). —Paul de Barros
date marked by unison-line melodies, wide-in- the modern era, as lush vocal harmonies and
terval harmonies and plenty of improvisational uplifting raps join the blazing horns and danc- Kisses On The Bottom: I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write
skronk. A spirit of freedom prevails, as both ing drums in one big street parade of soul. Myself A Letter; Home (When Shadows Fall); It’s Only A Paper
Moon; More I Cannot Wish You; The Glory Of Love; We Three (My
reedmen—complemented by bassist Devon Guest baritone saxophonist Ben Ellman tears Echo, My Shadow And Me); Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive; My
Valentine; Always; My Very Good Friend The Milkman; Bye Bye
Hoff and drummer Marc Riordan—venture far it up on “I’m So Confused,” and Trombone Blackbird; Get Yourself Another Fool; The Inch Worm; Only Our
beyond the thematic heads that bookend each Shorty enlivens the opening track with a rip- Hearts. (49:18)
Personnel: Paul McCartney, vocals; Diana Krall (1–13), Tamir
of the CD’s six original compositions. Jackson ping solo. The repretoire is refreshing, too, with Hendelman (14), piano; Robert Hurst, (1–4, 6–9, 11, 13), John
Clayton (5, 10), Christian McBride (12), Chuck Berghoffer (14),
plays a brawny tenor, while Kimmel stretches the Eurhythmics’ “Sweet Dreams Are Made bass; Karriem Riggins (1–4, 6–9, 11–13), Jeff Hamilton (5, 10), Vin-
the timbral possibilities of the bass clarinet. Of This” and Stevie Wonder’s “Living For The nie Colaiuta (14), drums; John Pizzarelli (1–4, 6–9, 11, 13), Bucky
Pizzarelli (3, 6), Anthony Wilson (5, 10, 12), Eric Clapton (8, 12),
One moment, the reedmen deploy postmod- City” among several unexpected titles. DB John Chiodini (14), guitar; Mike Mainieri, vibraphone (2, 4–6); Andy
Stein, violin (3); Ira Nepus, trombone (10); Stevie Wonder, harmoni-
ern devices such as split tones, growls and Ordering info: rounder.com ca (14); London Symphony Orchestra (2, 8, 9, 11, 12).
Ordering info: concordmusicgroup.com
and Shoutin’
Howlin’ Wolf: Smokestack Light-
ning: The Complete Chess Masters,
1951–1960 (Hip-O Select/Geffen
0015309; 73:20/73:53/76:52/68:59
HHHHH) All hail the fearsome How-
lin’ Wolf and his remarkable packs
of the 1950s, including the one with
blues-jazz electric guitarist Willie
Johnson that wreaked holy havoc in
Sam Phillips’ Memphis studio. There’s
a supernatural dimension—lycanthro-
py—to Wolf’s big, expressive gargle-
with-lye voice on 96 tracks spread
across the four discs of this compen-
dium. He throttles familiar sacred text
like “Moanin’ At Midnight” as well as
a dozen studio-provocations never
before issued in the States. The only
speed bumps for listeners are the
flow-clogging alternate takes on the
fourth disc. The 41-page book-like set
has informative essays by Peter Gural-
nick and Dick Shurman.
Frank driggs
Uncovered
Jonathan Ward is the type of music
enthusiast who is usually referred to
as a crate digger. A researcher and
writer, the Californian founded Exca-
vated Shellac, a Web site dedicated to
rare and international 78-RPM sides.
With the four-disc box Opika Pende:
Africa At 78 RPM (Dust To Digital 22
74:56/73:18/73:03/68:29 HHHH½)
Ward has compiled one of the most
encompassing, enterprising and literate
collections of African music ever as-
sembled. Exhaustive in scope and zeal-
ous in detail, the 100 songs span 1909
through the mid-1960s and traverse
figure eight publicity
Subscribe
Personnel: Kirk Whalum, tenor and soprano saxophones, flute;
Kevin Whalum, vocals; Hugh “Peanuts” Whalum, vocals (7); Mar-
cus Finnie, drums; Braylon Lacy, bass; Kevin Turner, electric guitar;
Michael “Nomad” Ripoll, acoustic guitar; John Stoddart, piano,
DownBeat.com I 877-904-JAZZ keyboards, organ (10), backing vocals (9); Bashiri Johnson, per-
cussion (1, 5, 7, 8, 10); Javier Solis, percussion (1, 3, 6, 9); George
Tidwell, flugelhorn and trumpet.
Ordering info: mackavenue.com
Celebrate Soul
Jazz
Hard to believe, but the legendary CTI
Records (now under the Masterworks
Jazz moniker) continues with a 40th
anniversary. Sadly, no bonus tracks in
sight with these four (skimpy) reissued
Kudu/CTI titles, but the heavy-duty
production values endure.
Esther Phillips’ delivery was suited
for the music CTI put down with 1974’s
Performance (Masterworks Jazz
94375; 39:40 HHH1/2). With equal
doses of sass, heart and soul this
singer took her robust, curlicue voice
and somehow managed to sing and
Warren Vaché, his opposite number on cornet, new pieces almost guaranteed to go nowhere. River. (67:43)
Personnel: Harry Allen, saxophone; Warren Vaché (1, 4, 8, 11),
sits in on four numbers here. Everyone seems to do that. Besides, if no one’s drums. Rossano Sportiello, piano; Joel Forbes, bass; Chuck Riggs,
cornet;
The kickoff is “Riverboat Shuffle,” which is heard it, it’s new. Ordering info: challenge.nl
Gregory Porter
Be Good
Motéma 75
HHHH1/2
New York-based singer Gregory Porter not
only escapes the dreaded sophomore jinx with
Be Good, he gives further indication of being
a major jazz talent on the rise. As illustrated
on his sumptuous debut, Water, Porter is a dou-
ble-threat: a superlative singer, honing a burly,
thoroughly communicative baritone, and a
gifted songwriter, who knows how to balance
material with personal references and univer-
sal truths.
Much of the power of Porter’s originals
derives from the fact that he doesn’t seem to
concern about being too original. He’s not
intent on concocting newfangled, obtuse song
structures filled with hermetic verses and will-
ful vocalese weirdness. His material is instant-
ly relatable and heartfelt.
Porter does cover some standards—“Work
Song,” “God Bless the Child” and “Imitation
Of Life”—with the veracity of a seasoned sing-
er. But it’s Porter’s soulful originals, which
makes Be Good such a must-have disc.
On the sterling “When Did You Learn,” he
sings of joys of finding a romance that has
no reservations of being in a relationship.
Underneath Porter’s soulful baritone and pithy
phrasing, the ensemble propels a forward-
motion groove that recalls Donny Hathaway’s
mesmeric songwriting on Extensions Of A
Man. Indeed, Hathaway and Bill Withers are
some of Porter’s most noticeable lodestars with
regards to delivering deceptively simple lyrics
and melodies that are instantly memorable.
Other highlights include the sweeping, “On
My Way to Harlem,” a post-Motown bop
lament on gentrification and cultural displace-
ment; the somber cautionary tale, “The Way
You Want To Live,” a ballad that Porter sang
in tribute to the late Amy Winehouse; the daz-
zling “Bling Bling” a plea of a man filled with
love but with no one to give it to; and the rumi-
native “Mother’s Song.”
In addition to Porter’s superb songs—many
of which have the potential to be this centu-
ry’s new jazz standards—Be Good comes alive
1. George Benson talks about his new Ibanez LGB300 hollow-body guitar; 2. Mike Portnoy announces the winners of the Players’ Choice cymbal
contest at the Sabian booth; 3. Stevie Wonder greets fans outside the Marriott Hotel; 4. Ali Ryerson plays her signature Brio! flute at the Gemein-
hardt booth; 5. James Carter honks and wails at the P. Mauriat exhibit; 6. Vandoren holds its annual VandoJam at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen
in Downtown Disney: Vandoren artists Eric Marienthal (left), Jerry Vivino and Gary Smulyan take the stage to kick off the event; 7. Mindi Abair (left)
and Dave Koz perform at Audio-Technica’s 50th anniversary concert, held at Disneyland’s California Adventure; 8. Bob Mintzer (left) checks out
new saxophone models with Andreas Eastman’s Qian Ni and Roger Greenberg; 9. Warwick artist Bootsy Collins (left) celebrates the unveiling of his
custom Space Bass with CEO/founder Hans Peter Wilfer and Marcus Spangler from Warwick’s custom shop; 10. Dr. Lonnie Smith demonstrates
the new SK2 organ at the Hammond booth; 11. Don Braden plays a Virtuoso tenor saxophone at the RS Berkeley exhibit; 12. Joey Heredia (left)
and Ignacio Berroa stop by the Sabian booth; 13. John Piasano (left) and Pete Christlieb pay a visit to the Cannonball Musical Instruments exhibit;
14. Sharel Cassity takes her turn to burn onstage at VandoJam; 15. Tony DeSare demonstrates the NU1 hybrid piano during Yamaha Keyboard
Division’s dealer meeting; 16. Terry Bozzio makes a special appearance for Sabian’s 30th anniversary.
Reporting by Frank Alkyer, Hilary Brown, Ed Enright, Katie Kailus, Zach Phillips and Bobby Reed.
4 5 6
7 8
9 10 11
12 13
14 15 16
Musicians’ gear guide / best of the namm show 2012
Vintage Appeal
P. Mauriat received positive
response to its cognac-lacquered
66R tenor saxophone and its
unlacquered System-76 series
tenor. “What I like about the years or more and is provided by market with the Mantra tenor, attenuator that works with virtu-
various finishes we offer is that Backun from his Canada-based an innovative horn designed to ally any acoustic bass pickup.
they’re different enough where company’s stash of high-end be incredibly solid and resonant. More info: realistacoustic.com
they create different sound woods. More info: antiguawinds.com Nothing is soldered to the neck of
profiles,” said P. Mauriat’s Craig the Mantra, so there’s no damp- Super Sax
Denny. More info: pmauriatmusic.com {5} Legendary Street ing effect. More info: theowane.com Powell Flutes used the vintage
Andreas Eastman named its new King Super 20 as inspiration for
Living Legend 52nd Street alto and tenor saxo- Funky Zone a new line that marks the com-
RS Berkeley and Drake announced phones after the legendary New JodyJazz rolled out the DVD In The
pany’s first foray into saxophones.
the new David Liebman Living York City strip where jazz clubs Funk Zone With George Garzone,
The flagship model features a
Legend series soprano saxophone thrived during the 1950s. Features which teaches musicians how to
mouthpiece. More info: rsberkeley.com sterling silver bell, toneholes and
include soldered-on rolled tone- use the minor pentatonic scale
holes, a large bell, adjustable palm for simple to advanced soloing neck. More info: powellflutes.com
{4} Grenadilla Clarinet keys and double-arm key bracing. techniques. More info: jodyjazz.com
Antigua has not offered a wooden More info: eastmanmusiccompany.com
Trumpet Vibrations
clarinet until now, with the release of Volume Control Buffet Group’s 334 Xtreme
an instrument designed by Morrie {6} Resonant Mantra David Gage and Ned Steinberger lightweight trumpet features two
Backun. The CL3230 clarinet is Mouthpiece maker Theo Wanne have released the Realist Dock- tuning slides and cornet-style
made of grenadilla that’s aged 25 has entered the saxophone ing Station, a universal volume bracing. More info: buffet-group.com
GUITARS
{4}
{1} Vintage Vox
Vox has unveiled the new Limited
Edition Custom Series AC30C2-
BL and AC15C1-BL, and a new
addition to the all-tube line, the
AC4C1-BL. Each recreates a
vintage look from Vox’s history. The
AC15C1-BL and AC30C2-BL amps
offer two channels: normal and top-
boost. Each channel is equipped
with its own volume control, and
the top boost channel offers highly
interactive treble and bass tone
controls. More info: voxamps.com
Print {1}
{3}
rangements of Gordon Goodwin’s C Edition have accurate chord Compositions 1999–2008, an 80-
{2} Phat and Standard Big Phat Band favorites; an MP3 symbols and song verses. page manuscript of small-group
Alfred has two new resources for CD has two tracks for each ar- More info: alfred.com compositions written by jazz
jazz players. Alfred Jazz Play- rangement—demo and play-along pianist Vijay Iyer and transcribed
Along Series, Vol. 4: The Music track. Songs in Alfred’s Jazz Real {3} Iyer Booked by Jeremy Viner.
of Gordon Goodwin includes ar- Book: Essential Jazz Standards, Mel Bay has published Selected More info: melbay.com
Acoustic-to-
{4} {5}
Electronic {1}
Featuring the same sizes and
rebound offered by an acoustic kit,
Pearl’s TruTrac drumhead packages
allow drummers to obtain an elec- this year’s most prominent trends, 13 1/2-inch sizes. whether it’s a live performance,
tronic kit, and its No-Drill Adapter modifying the classic cajon More info: tycoonpercussion.com practice or studio setting. Each
eliminates the need to modify your design with a new round shape. shaker’s unique feature is its twist-
drums. More info: pearldrum.com Its 28-inch-tall cajon–conga {5} Twist & Shake ing lock mechanism, which lets
hybrid sports a Siam oak wood Each color of LP’s new Twist Shak- percussionists play them individual-
{3} Cajon Congas body and a bubinga head. It’s ers projects a separate volume ly, lock them as a pair, or even inter-
Tycoon has put a spin on one of available in 10 1/2-, 12- and that’s ideal for different applications, change them. More info: lpmusic.com
PianoS/KeyboardS
{1} Super Synth
Casio is back in the pro synthe-
sizer market. The Casio XW-P1 is
a 61-key performance synthesizer
loaded with 400 fully editable PCM-
based sounds, such as stereo
pianos, vintage electric pianos, {1} {2}
strings, brass, guitars, basses and
drums. It also has a new draw-
bar organ mode providing nine
steps for each drawbar, vibrato,
percussion and rotary speaker {3}
control. More info: casiomusicgear.com
David Belove
order to achieve this, my advice is to learn to sonal taste. This is where one grows as a musi-
sing what you hear and physically connect to cian by developing vocabulary and a concept
your ideas. Sing a scale or melodic fragment for personal musical choices. When you listen
while fingering the notes on your instrument to any type of music, strive to go deeper inside
(vocalists should finger the notes on the piano the performance to find the next layer. With
without playing them). This will help build practice, it will become second nature. DB
your visual and kinesthetic relationship to the
notes. Don’t just play melodies or transcribed
solos; learn to sing them. And learn the lyr- Five-time Grammy nominee Wayne Wallace is an
accomplished trombonist, arranger, educator,
ics to songs and sing them until they are fully producer and composer. He has performed,
internalized. You don’t have to have a great recorded and studied with acknowledged mas-
ters of the Afro-Latin and jazz idioms such as
voice—just sing. Aretha Franklin, Bobby Hutcherson, Earth Wind
and Fire, Pete Escovedo, Santana, Julian Priester,
Conjunto Libre, Whitney Houston, Tito Puente,
Deeper Listening Steve Turre, John Lee Hooker, Con-funk-shun,
I find that great music is layered. After multiple Francisco Aguabella, Manny Oquendo and Libre,
Max Roach, the Count Basie Orchestra and Or-
listens to a song or improvisation I like, I usu- estes Vilató. Wallace is currently an instructor
ally hear things that I’ve missed the first few at San Jose State University, Stanford University
and the Jazzschool in Berkeley. He has con-
times through. When you are attracted to a par- ducted lectures, workshops and clinics in the
ticular piece of music and want to hear it again, Americas and Europe since 1983. His most recent
CD, To Hear From There, is available from Patois
it is usually because it resonates with your per- Records. Visit him online at walacomusic.com.
Woodshed
brass School| Woodshed
solo
| by line
pro session
By kirk garrison
Wynton Marsalis
Frank Stewart
Wynton Marsalis’ Delicate, Bluesy
Trumpet Solo on ‘First Kiss’
I n 2009, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis
released the CD He And She (Blue Note),
filled with lovely songs and interspersed
first five bars, he plays two notes in each
measure, with the exceptions being the
three notes he fits in the third measure and
with poetry, all of it related to the relation- the single note played in the second. Bar 5 is
ship of man and woman. The track “First also where he introduces notes outside the
Kiss” is a light medium-tempo waltz, and D blues sound.
Marsalis plays a solo as delicate as the title We hear a B b from the F major scale, and
would suggest. then a B-natural as a chromatic passing
The changes behind Marsalis’ solo are tone into the next measure, where Marsalis
in F, and he starts and ends with blues licks explores the F major scale further, and
in D (the relative minor), emphasizing the even adds another chromatic passing tone
flat fifth. Not only does this provide a blue- between the low D and E. He also fills this
sy soulfulness to his opening and closing measure with eighth notes, creating more
statements; it also serves to bookend his rhythmic energy.
solo. His conclusion takes the same flat five But then for the next four bars Marsalis
bent to five and jumps up to the root idea he is back to D blues, and more space, though
starts with. Marsalis elaborates on it by not not quite as much as the intro. It is porten-
bending the flat fifth and adding in a low F- tous that he introduces the first triplet at the
to-low D to make the improvisation sound beginning of measure 10, the end of this D
even more bluesy. blues statement, because in the next bar he
The connection between the opening leaps into bebop-style triplet figures with
and closing statements is quite a journey. much more chromaticism.
Marsalis starts with a lot of space. In the He keeps this up for the next four mea-
J. Landress Brass
Custom Trumpets
Old-School Hand
Craftsmanship
W ith his affinity for 19th century brass
instruments, trumpet designer and
master brass technician Josh Landress of J.
Landress Brass has shown that today’s instru-
ment makers have as much to learn by looking
back as they do looking to the future.
“The way I look at it—why reinvent the
wheel?” Landress said. “Prewar French Besson
trumpets are considered the Holy Grail of
trumpets by a lot of people. They were mak-
ing these without computers.” Landress firm-
ly believes the hand craftsmanship involved in design that is most requested at his workshop, other horn I’ve played.
creating each instrument is what makes the dif- which is based out of Sam Ash’s Brass and Landress included two mouthpiece sleeves
ference in sound and playability. Woodwind store on New York’s 48th Street. that he has designed to fit on standard-weight
All of Landress’ custom trumpets are gen- The outer slides are nickel-silver, and the rest trumpet mouthpieces. Hand-made from coco-
erally handmade on a per-order basis for each of the instrument is yellow brass. bolo wood, the sleeves transfer sympathet-
individual player. He makes his own bracing, The horn played spectacularly. It respond- ic vibrations from the cup of the mouthpiece,
bells and leadpipes from sheet brass. “I’m mak- ed so well, it begged me to play more musical- making the sound wave more efficient when
ing an average of about five horns a year,” he ly. I could not believe how much fun it was to entering the instrument. The 100 model is
said. “I make instruments for the individual add new levels of shading and nuance to phras- designed for all-around use; the 200 model
who’s bought Schilkes, Bachs … they’ve had es that I’ve played a thousand times before. has a metal band on the top and is specifically
used horns, they’ve had new horns, they’ve had The second horn I tested was a prototype designed for lead playing by helping projection
things tweaked and adjusted. Now they want Landress made for Chris Botti, who request- and slotting in the upper register.
one horn that can do it all for that specific per- ed a copy of a vintage large-bore Martin I couldn’t believe the difference the devices
son.” Some well-known clients of Landress Committee. The horn has a .468-inch bore, a made on my playing, whether using my legit
include Avishai Cohen and Vincent Gardner. red brass mouthpipe and a yellow brass bell. or lead mouthpieces. The effect is like putting
The first of the two Landress trumpets I This horn was equally hard to put down your trumpet playing on rails, solidifying and
tried was a .460-inch medium-large bore once I started playing. Its response, evenness focusing the sound, without feeling rigid or
horn featuring a red brass bell and mouth- from top to bottom, intonation, slotting and the constraining as many heavyweight mouthpiec-
pipe. Landress indicated that the trumpet, sim- dark and smoky tonal characteristics of the old es often do. —Mike Pavlik
ilar to a Prewar French Besson, has the basic Martin Committee made it stand out from any Ordering info: jlandressbrass.com
Andreas Eastman
ETR822GS Trumpet
Locking In
A ndreas Eastman has designed its 800
series trumpets as top-of-the-line instru-
ments suitable for jazz band, orchestra, cham-
ber music or solo settings. Originally a vio-
lin company, Eastman has been building
brass instruments at its China-based facility
since 2005. The company has solicited input plated top and bottom valve caps and gold-plat- nickel-silver balusters. It features a soldered
from leading players in order to improve the ed finger buttons—by letting a whole section and leaded wire-reinforced bell with a tradi-
line, addressing issues such as pitch, tone and of big band trumpeters try out the horn dur- tional flare and a hard-scarved gold brass bell.
mechanical concerns. ing a recent gig. Their most common respons- The bell tail and bell throat are torch-annealed.
The 800 series includes four B-flat trumpet es were that the ETR822GS locked in well, felt The instrument comes with a forest green case
models: the ETR821S, ETR821GS, ETR822S a lot like a Bach and had a bright, vibrant tone. and carries a suggested retail price of $2,120.
and ETR822GS. I evaluated the ETR822GS—a The ETR822GS has a .459-inch medium- —Ed Enright, Toolshed Editor
silver-plated instrument with 24-karat gold- large bore and a two-piece valve casing with Ordering info: eastmanmusiccompany.com
Mark Olson
Crimson Turns Blue: Harvard Jazz
Bands Celebrate Blue Note History
T hough the legacy of Blue Note Records
thrives in books, photos and Mosaic reis-
sues, reincarnations of performances seldom
mutual respect and appreciation of Fuller.
“Curtis is a vital link to, and catalyst of, a
time in history that the band all loves and has
occur. The Harvard University Jazz Band dug deeply into, especially Trane and Blakey,”
(HUJB) relit the blue flame this year with cam- said pianist Andrew Katzenstein. Everett added,
pus concerts and workshops featuring trombon- “Curtis’ presence shone like a deity. He never
ist Curtis Fuller and saxophonist Joe Lovano. brags, but shares endless historical tidbits.”
Tom Everett, HUJB’s mastermind since Other events included public conversa-
1971, was behind the university’s retrospective tions, open rehearsals, and exhibitions of Blue
label tribute. Note co-founder Wolff’s photographs and
“From [Francis] Wolff’s photo exhibits to Miles’ boldly distinctive sleeve art. Composer
coffee table books of Reid Miles’ covers, this Fred Ho also premiered his “Soul Science
revered label spanned Sidney Bechet, Albert Stomp,” a Latin/soul/rock/hip-hop blazer à la
Ammons, ’50s Monk and ’60s Ornette,” Everett Sly Stone that was commissioned for Program
said. “[It’s] sampled in pop music even today. Director Cathy McCormick.
Francis Wolff and Alfred Lion gave chances to On April 14, Lovano is set to step up for
the greats. the late Sam Rivers in a Harvard Yard tribute
“I thought, ‘How about a series of con- entitled “Blue Note: Then And Now,” which
certs? How about Curtis Fuller? He’s ’50s, will feature Rivers’ “Beatrice” and his Rivbea
hard-bop, soulful, straightahead, gospel- Studio charts, Lovano’s Blue Note pieces, and
churchy, well-rehearsed, articulate and played music by Herbie Hancock, Grachan Moncur,
with them all.” Bobby Timmons and Benny Golson.
Fuller joined the Harvard bands on late ’50s “It’s a thrill to play once again at Harvard,
classics during a November performance enti- in celebration and recognition of Blue Note
tled “Then And Now: Hard-Bop Legacy.” Records, the history and legacy of that great
Nicknamed the “Sunday” band, Harvard’s var- label, the work of Bruce Lundvall, and the
sity ensemble played Bobby Timmons’ often- playing of Sam Rivers, who was such a great
covered funk fave “Moanin’” as well as “Sister inspiration to me and all of us,” Lovano said.
Sadie.” Vocalist Samara Oster followed the An April 21 concert will explore the influ-
tributes and delivered a stirring rendition of ences of Miles Davis during his early Blue
Horace Silver’s “Señor Blues.” Note years. Harvard Square’s Brattle Theatre
Fuller’s 1957 stints with John Coltrane were also plans to show the documentary Blue Note
recapped by an octet who played “Blue Trane.” Records: The Story Of Modern Jazz. Jazz his-
Another quintet performed “Trane’s Strain,” a torian Michael Cuscuna of Mosaic Records
number from a Paul Chambers date. will join in a special panel discussion with
“They were glad to have me,” Fuller said. Harvard professor Ingrid Monson.
“When [lead trombonist] Ed Huttlin wanted to In related Harvardiana, trumpeter/compos-
relinquish his solo to me on ‘A Bit Of Heaven,’ er Wynton Marsalis will continue his brilliant
I said, ‘No, you solo.’ I was treated with great “Music As Metaphor” lecture-performance
kindness, respect and love.” series at the university later this year.
During the event, students freely shared their —Fred Bouchard
Takehiko Towiwa
DB Music Shop
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David Hazeltine
P ianist David Hazeltine has been held in high esteem by peers and
elders ever since he emerged from Milwaukee in the early ’80s.
Hazeltine’s distinctive persona as a composer, improviser and arranger
has been documented on numerous trio records and dates by the collec-
tive One For All. This is his first Blindfold Test.
Robert Glasper
“Think Of One” (Double Booked, Blue Note, 2009) Glasper, piano; Vicente Archer,
bass; Chris Dave, drums.
Is this an original? Oh, it’s a Monk tune I don’t know. Some elements in
the right-hand techniques remind me of Kenny Barron, but what tells
me it’s not Kenny is that the pianist sounds harmonically driven. In the
solo you don’t hear steady streams of eighth notes, for example, but a
great job playing around the harmonic structure. Outstanding technique
with both hands, and isn’t afraid to show it. The free stuff in the little
John Abbott
introduction was nice. I like to call them piano flourishes. I also liked
that the pianist took time to play two-handed melodic stuff, very fast,
very fluent. 4 stars.
Edward Simon Trio
Geoff Keezer “Poesia” (Poesia, CamJazz, 2009) Simon, piano; John Patitucci, bass; Brian Blade,
“Araña Amarilla” (Aurea, Artist Share, 2009) Keezer, piano; Steve Wilson, alto saxo- drums.
I really liked that. That’s Chick Corea. No? Compositionally, the move-
phone; Essiet Okon Essiet, electric bass; Hugo Alcázar, cajon, djembe, quijada, pal-
mas, percussion; Jon Wikan, cajon, palmas. ment, the chord progressions sounded like something Chick would
This brings Herbie Hancock to mind. The piece’s variety and scope, the do. The way he played his lines sounded inspired by Chick. Also, the
odd instrumentation, the hand-clapping, the simplicity of certain rhythms of the lines, the little spaces that he played in between, the left
chords—different for jazz, like something Herbie would do just to do hand comping while playing the lines, reminded me so much of ’70s
it. The bass line reminded me of something from Thrust or one of his Chick, like Return to Forever before they went completely electric. I like
electric records. Very tasteful. 3½ stars. [after] Geoff is a fantastic pia- the intricate things where the bassist played little melodies in unison
nist. This was Keezer tamped way back. Harmonies without a lot of with the left hand. It kept my interest throughout. Everyone was interact-
extensions. I’m impressed he’s trying to do something different, without ing, very together. 4½ stars.
letting it all hang out.
David Kikoski
Tony Williams Trio “Chance” (Mostly Standards, Criss Cross Jazz, 2009) Kikoski, piano; Eric Revis,
“Farewell To Dogma” (Young At Heart, Columbia 1996) Williams, drums; Mulgrew bass; Jeff “Tain” Watts, drums.
Miller, piano; Ira Coleman, bass. This sounds familiar, like a third-tier standard. I like the wide range of
I like the touch, the warm sound, the two-handed harmonies. As it harmonic information, but also how this pianist obscured the harmo-
moved along, it sounded like Keith Jarrett, which would explain the ny—sometimes he’d play only two notes with the left hand, or little clus-
beautiful touch. I heard some Herbie Hancock, but certain things hap- ters where it’s hard to identify the voicing on first listening. That’s David
pened too many times for it to be Herbie. Then a few things that sounded Kikoski. I respect his harmonic sophistication and touch. You hear the
very much like what Chick Corea would do. I started thinking it might piece from beginning to end. It’s not a beautiful arrangement of a head
be Kevin Hays, because Kevin has all those guys in his playing—mainly and then some stuff that doesn’t fit with it or make sense. It’s on a contin-
Herbie, though. I liked the tune, how it goes different places, with differ- uum, with an arc. Really well put-together, thoughtful music. 4½ stars.
ent highs and lows—it’s open enough that whatever mood you want to
superimpose on the mood of the tune works at the time. Even the ending Barry Harris Trio
was a surprise. It kept my interest from beginning to end. The drummer “Oblivion” (The Last Time I Saw Paris, Venus, 2000) Harris, piano; George Mraz,
did very tasty stuff with that open, straight eighth-note feel. 4½ stars. bass; Leroy Williams, drums.
Barry Harris—with George Mraz and Leroy Williams. He’s a genius of
Martial Solal melody-making in the style of bebop, the style of Charlie Parker or Bud
“Here’s That Rainy Day” (Longitude, CamJazz, 2008) Solal, piano; François Moutin, Powell. I need to keep coming back to [Harris’] music. It’s so perfect
bass; Louis Moutin, drums. but also unpredictable and imaginative, just like Bird was. Maybe some
This pianist is melodically driven, but it’s as though he or she deliber- think it sounds predictable because he’s remained in the bebop idiom.
ately played as far out of the box as possible, while somehow still play- But his imagination within that time period and language is unlike any-
ing that tune. From the beginning, it sounded reharmonized, but so cha- one else who tried to play that music. On this piece, obviously he’s not
otic that it was hard to tell what exactly was happening. It had a nice at full throttle as he was, say, 20 years ago. But it contains that same
balance—at times he brought it back in. Not my cup of tea, but a fresh, melodic integrity. 5 stars. DB